A Horse Drawn Cage
by Vietta
Summary: One fateful night pulls Reno out of his pleasant world where the things that go bump in the night don't exist, but how long will he survive in this nightmare when he's started out on such bad terms with the most dangerous creatures that exist? AU
1. Chapter 1

Reno growled as he was pushed into the fortune teller's tent by his drunken comrades; his unwillingness apparent in his struggles. "Get yer hands off me ya drunk bastards!" The regrettably sober red-head stumbled through the flap in the tent after a particularly uncoordinated shove from one of his fellow prison guards. "I will kick yer asses so hard ya won't sit for a week!" He snarled at the entrance of the tent as he prepared to walk out of it, straightening his suit with an angry huff. Reno's hand closed around the flapping canvas entrance just as a clammy and shriveled hand clasped his wrist with surprising strength and tugged him away from it. Reno ripped his arm out of the frail gypsies grasp and gave her a piercing glare. "Hands off ya old bat!" Reno's disdain for superstition, magic, and religion was well known and the main reason his comrades had tossed him into Elmyra's tent.

Elmyra took his insult in stride and continued to urge him to sit, her bangled arms clicking musically as she pulled out a chair before a table covered with various tricks of her trade. "Sit and let me cast the bones for you."

"I'm not about to be charged a fortune to receive my fortune! I'd rather not know it." Reno's voice dripped with cynicism as he tried to tear his eyes away from the milk white orb sitting on the table. The red-head had given up on all of the superstitious nonsense his fellow man believed in long ago; in his mind all deities were simply not worth all the hassle attached to believing in them and all myths were simply tales for children and foolish old women like the one sitting before him. He knew his drunken fair-weather friends would shove him back into the tent until he had some kind of prophetic sounding drabble to spout into their ears so he sat and glared at the table top, ignoring the whispers filled with superstition and drunken stupidity that flowed into the tent.

"I won't charge you nothing sir." Elmyra reached a withered hand into a thick purple bag and pulled out yellowing bones covered in symbols that Reno couldn't and didn't care to understand. She folded the bones in her hands and bent her wrinkled face over them and whispered gently, the strange words sounding like a mangled prayer to Reno's skeptical ears.

"Like I haven't heard that before." Reno huffed irritably, leaning his chin on his hand and examining the gypsy with something akin to disdain. The old woman was bent double by a large hump on her back and the years spent traveling with her caravan had stolen any beauty she may have possessed long ago. Her wispy hair was tucked beneath a thin purple veil that was speckled with flecks of gold, real gold or not Reno couldn't tell. She rocked back and forth as she whispered over the bones, the clinking of the many bangles she wore grating heavily on Reno's nerves. Finally she stopped and tossed the bones onto the table, the sudden move forcing Reno to sit up straight as bones clattered towards the area where his elbow had been resting.

Elmyra immediately became engrossed with the pale yellow bones, her fingers gliding over the pattern they made without touching. Reno rolled his eyes and stared longingly at the entrance of the tent, his desire to leave the camp overpowering. Why he had come in the first place he didn't remember, but he was fairly sure Zack's near incessant needling about him needing to go out and get a life had something to do with it. Reno's dark haired brother bothered him as much as any sibling would, but mostly because when Zack insisted that he do something he couldn't refuse for long. The older man knew how to make Reno do anything he wanted and Reno couldn't stand it. It was bad enough his brother had decided to marry one of the many gypsy women who traipsed through their town; he didn't have to make Reno get involved with them too.

The woman looked up at Reno after a time, her age clouded eyes searching his face intently. "I see many things here, things that are and things that aren't and things that will be if you continue living the way you do. It is a hard road you walk, but it is only going to get harder. Unforeseeable danger lies directly in your path and very little will change your course after you have dealt with this-"

Reno rolled his eyes and stood, his hand out to stop the woman's speech. "What you have to tell me is nothing I haven't heard before. You're not the first gypsy to try and read the bones for me and the fact that you both say exactly the same thing doesn't surprise or impress me."

Elmyra paled, her paper-thin skin wrinkling with worry. "Another gypsy has told you the same thing? Who is it boy?"

Reno bristled at being called a boy, in his mind he was very much a man and at twenty one years of age he felt the rest of the world should see him that way too. "Aerith, my brother's wife. She tries to convince me there's some meaning behind what she has to say but I don't buy any of this foolishness."

The gypsy stood, a gnarled finger pointing towards Reno's face. "You've had dealings with Aerith? She's one of the most gifted readers I've ever come across! If she has told you what I have to tell you then you are foolish if you don't listen! Tonight your life will change child, it will change in ways you can't even hope to comprehend! The only thing you can do is protect yourself from the evils you may face."

Reno sighed heavily and batted away the accusatory hand floating inches away from his face. "Don't you get it? I don't believe in your nonsense!"

Elmyra snapped her fingers and suddenly Reno's upper arms were grasped tightly by two large gypsy men he had not seen enter the tent. Reno yelped loudly as he was picked up and hauled across the tent, his toes brushing across the grass covered dirt below him. He struggled and kicked out at the men holding him but they ignored his anger as they carried him along. "What the hell are you doing? Put me down!"

Elmyra instructed the men to set Reno down in a hard backed chair, her hands filled with implements Reno had only seen once before and had hoped not to see again. The last time he had seen so many needles was when Zack had allowed Aerith to tattoo a symbol of protection to his arm and his brother had nearly passed out from the pain involved. Aerith had offered to do the same for Reno but he had refused stubbornly, swearing that the only time she would be allowed near him with needles was when he was a dead man. Zack had laughed at his fear even though he refused to use his dye bruised arm for almost a week.

Reno struggled harder as his arms were pinned down against the chair and his head was held between the meaty hands of a large gypsy man. Elmyra held a needle against his hair and smiled as if satisfied with herself before jabbing him below the eye with the hot liquid coated piece of metal. Reno cried out and tried to pull away as she continued to pierce the skin below his eyes; any chance of escaping unscathed was now forfeit as the permanent dye was already settling itself into his skin. Soon Reno stopped struggling completely and simply sat and whimpered pathetically, not wishing to increase the pain further as Elmyra began reheating the needle before adding more dye.

"I am giving you a great gift my young friend." Elmyra mumbled as she finished off the second arc under Reno's eyes. "I am giving you the protection of the great Ifrit in these marks. It is obvious the Flamekeeper has bestowed special favor upon you, your red hair, fiery temper, and skeptical nature prove as much. Hopefully I am not too late in giving you the protection Aerith should have given you long ago." She frowned as she examined her work, mumbling words in her own tongue that confused Reno and distracted him from the burning sensation in his face. She cupped his chin in her hand and tilted his face to and fro, examining the long red lines she had forced onto his face. She released him and nodded sharply before reaching into her flowing robes and pulling out a handful of silver bullets, forcing them into Reno's hands with a frightened huff. "Whatever it is the bones say you are going to end up facing these will help you defeat it."

Reno growled and stuffed the bullets into his pocket before pressing his fingers to his cheeks warily. He let out a groan of distaste at the throbbing pulse he could feel heating up his chilled fingertips. "Didn't I stick out enough already? Wasn't the bright red hair enough?" He stood quickly when he realized that the men were no longer at his sides; their departure was as swift and noiseless as their entrance. Reno darted past the woman and went to the table she had foretold his future at, examining his angry reflection in the milky white crystal ball. He prodded the bright red marks gently, noting the swelling beneath them with extreme distaste.

Reno spun around to give her a piece of his mind only to find that Elmyra was gone, her frail body scampering away faster than he ever would have thought possible. He growled angrily and chased her out of the tent, ripping open the back entrance and scanning the nearby woods for some sign of the woman. He listened intently but couldn't hear the sound of her clinking bangles over the drunken laughter of the men enjoying the revelries of the camp. A low snarl ripped past his lips and he turned back into the tent, exiting through the front and passing all the people gathered in front of it without a word; shrugging off his friend's questions with anger. He didn't fail to notice some of the stares his freshly tattooed face was attracting, but he didn't care.

There were fewer men here to taunt him than normal, another thing Reno attributed to simple superstition and stupidity. There was a full moon out that night and in the past month four men and women had been found discarded in ditches with their throats slit and their blood drained. Most of the townsfolk, Zack and Aerith included, thought that this was the work of something mystical that needed to be feared. Reno was skeptical of any mystical qualities in these murders, in his opinion there was simply a madman on the loose who enjoyed cutting throats.

Either way, the opinions of superstitious drunken men around him wouldn't matter until the next day when they sobered up enough to realize that he had odd tattoos on his face. Zack and Aerith's opinion, however, would matter quite a bit once he got home. He was fairly sure Zack would be furious with him for allowing someone else to do something he had denied Aerith the privilege of doing and Reno knew that no matter how much he argued and repeated that he had been forcefully given the unwanted tattoos Zack would still be angry with him.

Reno sighed bitterly and gave his faithful horse a pat on the neck before hoisting himself into the driver's seat of the large metal cage she dragged behind her. Reno had won the metal carriage in a poker game against the warden of the town prison and since it was the only carriage he had and he was a prison guard it seemed fitting for him to use it often. He couldn't remember a time since he had won it where he had gone out without the rolling cage; his excuse to his brother was that one never knew when they would need to lock someone up. Besides; the hard seat he rode on was far more comfortable than the rolling back of his treasured Bethany.

The warm brown mare was one of the few things Reno had ever bought on his own; almost all of his physical possessions had been won in a game of chance and luck at one point or another or had been purchased for him without his consent by a concerned Zack and Aerith who thought he didn't have enough to entertain himself. Zack had a great deal of pride in how his family looked and he made sure to keep Reno and Aerith clothed in the most stylish garments he could find, whether they wanted the clothes or not. Aerith had learned to tolerate his brother's need for physical possessions early on in their marriage and had embraced his attention to physical things when it was possible for her to pawn whatever object it was off onto Reno. Reno hated the fact that whenever they got the chance they pushed another worthless piece of art into his crowded room or added another gun to his steadily growing collection, but he had forced himself to keep his thoughts wordless. He had learned early on in life that starting fights with Zack had only ever ended with his head in the dirt.

Reno clicked his tongue and with a flick of the thin whip held in his hand Bethany was carting him and the cage back towards the town and away from the indulgences of the gypsy camp at a steady trot. It was customary for the men of the town to go and entertain themselves with the women in the gypsy camp as there was no brothel in town, but for some strange reason Reno couldn't participate in the same festivities his comrades did. Every week a new caravan rolled into the woods and every week Zack forced him to go spend time in the camp in the hopes that he would fall in love with one of the beautiful gypsies the way he had, but Reno felt no attraction to any of them no matter how beautiful they were or how _talented_ they claimed to be. Zack had fallen in love with Aerith when she had first offered to cast the bones for him and he knew they both wished the same kind of love at first sight match for him, but between the dour girls of the town and the underdressed women of the caravans he was hard pressed to find someone that would suit his tastes. He wasn't even sure it was a woman he wanted, from the dealings he had had with them he had found them all to be far too demanding to give him any desire to spend more time with them than what was strictly necessary. Zack simply insisted that he hadn't met the right one yet and Aerith tried to unravel his love life in her cards and bones, but Reno simply didn't care as much as they did. The life of a bachelor seemed to suit him just fine and at the moment he saw no reason to rush things.

Reno was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't see the large shaggy object trailing him behind the tree line until the thing launched itself at his horse, her frightened whinnies and startled gallop bringing his mind back to the present. He quickly reached for the rifle seated next to him as he tried to get Bethany back under control, her fear quickening her pace to an unreasonable speed. Reno pulled hard on the reins and forced the bit back into her mouth until he could see blood flecking the foam at the corners of her muzzle, but still she ran. He could see a shaggy red creature matching pace with the horse, its clawed feet tearing up the ground below it. He couldn't identify the beast, but he didn't care to try and give it a name as he took aim with his rifle and shot it. His aim was close to perfect even though the metal cage was rocking violently and his target was moving; the shot a testament to the uncounted hours Zack made him spend shooting. The beast howled with anger as the bullet ripped through its shoulder and sent it tumbling off of the path, thick blood flecking the road.

Satisfied that he had scared the creature off Reno turned his attention back to getting his frightened equine back under control. With a few loud swears and sharp tugs on the reins her pace slowed and she stood panting and trembling on the edge of the road. Reno clambered down from his perch to comfort the creature, gun still in hand in case the beast came back. He gave her sweaty body a quick check with his hands and what little his eyes could see by the moonlight and didn't like what he found. Long claws had torn through the skin of her left flank and blood was dripping from the marks in steady streams as the flesh quivered with pain. He growled angrily and turned back towards the woods where he had shot the creature, a yell piercing the night. "You hurt my horse you bastard!"

The woods, of course, paid Reno's angry outburst no heed; but it seemed the creature deigned to recognize his challenge. The beast pulled itself back onto the road, limping and bleeding over the dirt path. Reno felt terror strike his heart as he met the yellow eyes of the wolfish creature, its fangs bared in his direction as it curled an oddly human-like hand into the dirt. Reno backed down the path in fright, his hands fumbling with his gun as Bethany trembled beside him, her energy to flee gone after the frightened race through the woods. With a loud and feral snarl the creature ran towards Reno, its mouth open and its gait unsteady as it was hindered by its injured shoulder. Reno raised his gun to try and defend himself but couldn't pull the trigger fast enough to spare him the creatures wrath. It lunged at him, its mouth missing his head by mere inches and its claws tearing through his shirt and jacket to drag across his sensitive white flesh, the skin parting easily.

Reno cried out as he was knocked backwards, the creature rolling over him to land with a whimper farther down the road. Reno rolled over and got back up, his hands holding the gun aloft as the creature charged again. He shot again but missed the creature completely, the pain in his chest distracting him and making his arms tremble. The creature tried to bite him again, but the rifle diverted its attack, the long barrel pressing into its chest and pushing the beast to the side as it tried to close its jaws around Reno's shoulder. Reno stumbled backwards until his back hit the cage, the cold metal behind him giving his pain filled mind an idea. He grabbed the door to the cage and heaved it open as the creature ran forward. The creature charged into his rifle yet again, the gun teetering to the side and using the creature's momentum to propel it through the door of the cage.

Reno slammed the metal door shut with a loud clang and locked it securely, the previously unused padlock snapping together with a satisfying click. He quickly backed away from the cage, his heart hammering with fear as he watched an unnaturally long arm reach out to grab the area where his body had been only moments before. Long claws curled around air as the creature tried to grasp Reno's just barely out of reach legs, its prey scooting farther and farther away to ensure its safety. Reno watched as the creature snarled fiercely and began throwing itself against the sides of the cage, its efforts wasted on the heavy metal bars designed to withstand any force short of a cannon blast. Reno looked around for his rifle, determined to finish the frightening beast before it found a way to escape, but gave a loud moan of despair as he realized that he had dropped his gun so that he could lock the door of the cage. The beast's outraged snarls seemed to mock him as the cage creaked in protest to the treatment it received, the grasping claws that reached towards him putting his gun out of reach.

Reno pulled himself to his feet with a pained whimper, the thin gashes in his chest making motion difficult. He pulled open his shirt to examine the wounds and growled when he saw the bloody state his chest was in. Blue eyes glared at the snarling beast in the cage and a blood tipped finger pointed at the thin scratches. "You see what you did? That was uncalled for!" The beast sniffed the air eagerly as it caught sight of Reno's blood, a thin red tongue lolling out of its foaming mouth. Reno growled and tore his already ripped shirts into shreds so that he could make makeshift bandages to cover his wounds. "Yeah yeah you wanna eat me, get over it! I'm not on the menu tonight pal." The dark red creature growled back, its fangs barred at Reno's outrage. Reno rolled his eyes and walked towards his still shivering Bethany, her eyes rolling with fear in their sockets. "Shut up beastie, yer scarin' my horse." Reno threw his ruined jacket over Bethany's trembling and bloody flank and began rubbing her nose to try and soothe her frantic breathing.

Reno spent the rest of the night patting his thoroughly upset horse and throwing angry insults at the creature in the cage, his arguments one sided and accompanied by growls from both of them. After a while the creature exhausted itself trying to escape and simply curled up on the floor of the cage to lick at its quickly healing wound, its bright yellow eyes trained on Reno as the red-head lost the energy to taunt it. No matter how relaxed and tired the creature seemed to be Reno refused to get close enough to retrieve his gun or unhook Bethany from the cage.

Sometime after midnight Reno started to doze, his eyelids growing heavy as he leaned against Bethany's side, his legs shaking with the effort needed to keep him upright. He was still mumbling quiet reassurances to Bethany who had been ignoring him since the beast had stopped his furious thrashing. Reno let out a large yawn at the same time the creature did, its wolfish eyes still trained on his face. Reno stared at the creature while his eyelids drooped and he continued to mumble nonsensically at it while his fingers curled in Bethany's mane, his words meaningless and vague. His eyes finally beat him in the heated war for consciousness and his lashes touched his cheeks as he sunk to the ground near Bethany's hooves when sleep overtook him.

A pained howl crashed through Reno's sleep fogged brain and he jerked upright immediately, fear gripping his cloudy senses. He stumbled to his feet, Bethany's hooves missing his body by inches as she began to kick out in fear. Reno grabbed a hold of her bridle as her head thrashed and he pulled her body back to the ground as another howl tore through the morning air. Bethany's eyes rolled in fear as Reno tried to comfort her, his efforts wasted as the beast continued to moan, the noise a horrible pained keening that pulled at Reno's heartstrings through his undeniable fear. Reno moved closer to the cage, his fear turning to disbelief as he watched the creature thrash.

The shaggy red beast was contorting in pain and anguish, its long limbs shrinking to a more manageable size. The hair on its body fell off and dusted the bottom of the cage where a small breeze carried it away, the flesh beneath it white and trembling as it convulsed. The wolfish teeth retreated and the long nose pulled back into a shapely one, white nostrils flaring as the pained cries became more and more human. Yellow eyes grew wide with pain as the wolfish skull flowed back like liquid around them, their iris' slowly darkening to a breathtaking blue beneath a fringe of damp red hair.

Reno's fear of the beast was abandoned and he pressed his face up against the thick steel bars, his mouth gaping with silent astonishment as he took in the beautiful body trembling in front of him. Never in his life had he seen a creature so beautiful, every line and feature well defined and perfectly shaped. Reno could not have pictured a more perfect human being if he had tried and he suddenly understood why he had never been able to find any of the gypsies attractive. Not one of them had even a fraction of the beauty encompassed in the creature laying on the cold floor of the cage below him, the limbs perfect in their trembling frailty and alluring despite the fact that only moments before they had invoked terror. A groan passed parted pink lips as the man sat up and cradled his head in pain.

If the gods had a sense of irony it was encompassed in the man sitting on the floor of that cage, his strikingly attractive features giving no hint to the beast he had been the night before. A moment of confusion crossed the man's face as he took in his surroundings with foggy eyes that looked like they had just finished sleeping the night away, although Reno knew that was not the case. Blue eyes met and they regarded each other silently, awe marked in one face while fear began to register in the other. The once beast sprang to his feet and rushed towards Reno, grasping at the bars desperately. "Did I kill anyone?"

Reno backed away from the cage as the man rushed forward, a lump forming in his throat where before there had been nothing. He swallowed it down and did his best to give an acceptable answer. "As far as I know you didn't. You tried, but you didn't." Reno crossed his arms over the torn bits of shirt covering his chest as the man's eyes drifted over it, taking in the bloodied cloth with apparent guilt. "So, you're a…um…" Reno couldn't finish his question, the words dropping from his tongue before he got the chance to voice them.

The man gulped audibly, his eyes still full of fear. He shifted and caressed the bars of the cage with apparent awe. "How did you get me in here?"

"Opened the door and let you run inside." Reno chuckled, grabbing his rifle from the ground with a pained wince as the scabs on his chest cracked and fresh blood leaked out of them. "Now that you're not all fury would you like to come out of the cage? So long as you refrain from trying to eat me I think it'll be safe to let you out."

"You're safe for another month." The man chuckled nervously and looked down, noting his nakedness with a blush. "I don't mean to be needy but do you happen to have anything I might cover up with?"

Reno blushed as well, his eyes drifting despite his efforts to keep them on more civilized areas of the man. He moved to the front of the cage and rummaged around in a large canvas sack he kept in his seat, hunting for the large horse blanket he kept to chase away the chill on cold nights. He gave a small noise of triumph when he finally extricated it from the overflowing bag, climbing down from the seat and pushing it through the bars of the cage so that the very tempting creature in front of him could retain some sense of dignity.

The red-head took the blanket and wrapped it around himself; confusion painting his features a glossy shade of relief as Reno unlocked the large metal padlock. "Why didn't you kill me when I was a beast? I obviously tried to kill you."

Reno chuckled and helped the man out of the cage, shutting the heavy metal door behind him with a bang that echoed down the path. "Don't think I didn't try. I shot you once but after I got you in the cage I dropped my gun and there was no way in heaven or hell that I was going anywhere near you to get it back and finish the job. I figured you would probably be happy about that considering the fact that you're still alive. I'm guessing you won't mind coming home with me so that you can get some clothes?"

"I think I shall accept the offer." A musical chuckle sounded in the man's throat as Reno helped him into the driver's seat of the cage, the blanket wrapped tightly around his shivering frame. "I believe introductions are in order. My name is Genesis Rhapsodos."

Reno grinned as he peeled the sticky jacket from Bethany's flank and tossed it into the ditch, the tattered remains not worth saving. "Reno Hewley." He clambered back into the driver's seat and gave Bethany's uninjured flank a gentle tap with the whip, her feet pulling both cage and men forward up the path.

Genesis nodded once, as if he was satisfied with the name. "I wouldn't, by chance, happen to be anywhere near Kalm would I?" His voice was tinged with hope as he pulled the blanket higher around his shoulders.

"We're just outside of Kalm at the moment." Genesis sighed with relief at Reno's words, some of the anxiety leaving his face. Reno didn't question the happiness that lit up Genesis face and continued. "I was on my way home from a visit to the gypsy caravan visiting town when you attacked us." Reno fingered the tattoos on his cheek ruefully, having forgotten that they were there in the excitement of Genesis' attack.

Genesis noticed the move and pursed his lips slightly. "Those are fresh?" A nod from Reno confirmed his suspicion. "I'm guessing you went to see a batty old fortune teller by the name of Elmyra?"

Reno raised an eyebrow at Genesis as he guided Bethany up the well worn path before them. "How do you know Elmyra? Have you had dealings with her?"

Genesis' lips tightened into a thin line and he leaned back against the cage behind them. "She thought she had a cure for me. I tried it last night and it obviously failed. She's only good for reading fortunes I guess."

Reno chuckled and shook his head. "She read mine and then had two goons hold me down so she could stab my face with needles."

Genesis frowned at that, his beautiful face twisted in regretful anger. "She wanted to do the same to me but I told her I would bite her if she did. Sometimes being a werewolf has its advantages." Reno shivered at the mention of Genesis' form from the night before, his desire to dismiss the fact that he had just seen what he had thought was impossible overpowering in its insistence. He decided that for now he would completely ignore the fact that Genesis wasn't fully human as his sanity would hang by mere threads if he tried to wrap his mind around the concept. If werewolves were real, there was a good chance every superstitious thing he had dismissed as fantasy was real as well. Reno simply refused to believe that the deities he had been disrespecting and angering for the better part of his life were real.

"I wish I had thought of something like that to get her away from me. Zack and Aerith are going to be furious with me when we get home." Reno laughed as he imagined the look of pure confusion that would cross both of their faces when they saw that he was not only injured and tattooed, but that he also had a naked man riding home with him. He sat up quickly, a disconcerting thought springing into his mind. "What the hell am I supposed to tell them? I was supposed to get home last night! They must be worried sick! I can't tell them I was attacked by a werewolf that just happens to be coming home with me; they'll think I'm crazy and send me off to the asylum. They'd probably send you as well."

"That is a problem." Genesis sighed and his brow furrowed in thought, an expression mirrored by Reno. "Tell them you got attacked by a wolf, that much is easy to believe and it will explain your injuries. As for me, just tell them you found me lying naked on the side of the road. I'll tell them I was robbed while returning to the Inn after visiting the gypsy camp, that's close enough to the truth as it is. You can claim that you passed out from blood loss last night and found me after you woke up this morning. As for the tattoos, you're on your own with that explanation. I'm not entirely sure they won't approve of them though, they do lend your face a certain amount of extra attractiveness."

Reno's face brightened as he gave Bethany's reins a small tug in the direction he wanted, her hooves clacking gently on the cobbled path leading into Kalm. The fact that Genesis could come up with such a convincing string of falsifications in so short a time impressed him, he had thought he was one of the few people left who didn't mind selling lies for truth. "I'm sure I'll think of something. It won't be too hard to come up with a suitable lie. Don't be surprised when Zack gets angry though, it's normal and unavoidable. I suggest covering up as best as you can with the blanket. The women here aren't used to seeing so much bare flesh at one time and they might die from shock." Genesis laughter broke through the air once more as he adjusted the thick blanket to make sure he was as well covered as he could be. Reno grinned with him as he watched a few nearby faces drop in confusion, disgust, and a most satisfying jealousy as the townspeople took in his ragged appearance and the obvious nudity of the man beside him. He was sure news of his unorthodox arrival into town would reach Zack before he did and the look he imagined on Zack's face promised so much entertainment he couldn't help but smile. Armed with his lies and a naked man ready to verify his falsifications and help him create more Reno guided a limping Bethany towards the large estate on the edge of town, his grin growing wider with every stare they received.

**

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****Also; any vampires mentioned in this story will be sparkle free.**

Author's Note: Well, this is my first step into the supernatural. I haven't done any vampire/werewolf/witchcraft stories yet and if anyone would like to make suggestions on how this story can be better or how I'm getting facts wrong I would like to hear what you have to say! If you have questions just shoot me a PM or ask in a review, I'll answer either way so long as I don't have to reveal copious amounts of plot.


	2. Chapter 2

The shocked and angry look on Zack's face was just as entertaining as Reno had imagined it would be; his jaw slack with surprise even while his arms were folded in obvious anger. No matter how much trouble it promised him it would forever be engraved in his memory as comical. Aerith's reaction was much less entertaining, her face shining with concern as she gripped Zack's arm lightly, her worried gaze darting between the three men as she waited for one of them to speak. Reno hopped off the driver's seat of the cage and helped Genesis to the ground, the naked man trying very, very hard to keep himself covered. An attendant who worked at the home grabbed Bethany's bridle and took her and the cage to the stables and out of harm's way as Zack's warring emotions seemed to settle on explosive rage. Zack's arms uncrossed and he stalked towards Reno, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him while he frantically asked questions the way any worried brother would, loudly and angrily. "Where the hell have you been! What happened! Why are you late! What happened to your face! What happened to the horse! Who's he!"

Reno pried Zack's sturdy fingers from his shoulders and took a few precautionary steps backwards, the small distance between him and his older brother comforting. He took a deep breath and prepared to rattle off the answers to his brother's questions when Aerith interrupted by lightly slapping Zack on the arm. "Zack! He's hurt and his friend is naked and the first thing you do is start asking questions! I'm disappointed in you!" Zack opened his mouth to reply but quickly closed it, rubbing the back of his head in obvious discomfort. Aerith pursed her lips at him and then gave Reno and Genesis a worried smile, her voice returning to its normal airy tone. "Come inside and we'll get you both sorted." She shot Zack another look as if daring him to try and contradict her ruling. When he didn't make any moves to keep either of the men out of the house she smiled and patted him on the shoulder before leading the way into the large estate.

Reno sighed with relief at Aerith's kind concern for their well-being, his chest starting to throb as he remembered that he had been injured. While his mind had been preoccupied thinking of excuses and how he would explain away what had happened his body had been hiding the pain so that he would be free to think. Now that he was free from explanations for awhile the pain had happily surfaced. Aerith took care of Genesis first, leading him to Reno's room to find clothes so that she wouldn't need to continue to blush at his exposure. After Genesis had been safely stowed in Reno's room she led him by the elbow to her study, one of the few rooms in the house Reno refused to willingly set foot in. For once he decided not to protest as she dragged him through the door and set him on one of the chairs that littered the room.

The woman's study wasn't nearly as frightening as he thought it would be; he had always assumed that it would be covered from top to bottom in pink frilly things and the instruments of her craft that looked more like torture devices than medical or magical tools. As it was the room was tastefully decorated with very little pink to be seen, most of the colors a rich gold or purple in hue. All of her tools were locked safely away in large chests covered in strange symbols, one of which she was rummaging through as she muttered to herself in her own language. Reno couldn't understand what she was saying, but he had the notion that she was probably swearing. "Aerith?" Her only reply was a muffled humph and Reno chewed his lip as he tried to think of what he should say. It took him a few moments, his tongue struggling to form the few syllables needed to express his gratitude. "Thank you."

Aerith giggled as she pulled a small box out of the large chest she had been digging in, crossing the room to sit near him on a chair of her own. "Don't worry about it Reno, I'm sure Zack will accept your werewolf so long as you don't tell him that's what he is." Reno's eyes widened and she giggled again. "You really thought I wouldn't be able to figure out what he was?" Reno's head shake was the only answer he could provide and she laughed as she began unwrapping the crude bandages he had tried to cover his wounds with. "I've met that one before, he used to visit Elmyra to try and find a cure for his condition. I was a teenager at the time, but he hasn't changed at all. For a moment I was really worried that he had bit you, but it looks like you've only got scratches. You should consider yourself lucky; you could be sharing his eternal torment. Instead you'll just have a few scars."

Reno yelped as she pressed a stinging cloth to his chest, her actions gentle even though the substance the cloth was laced with was not. He tried to wrap his mind around just how old Genesis might be, but he decided to ignore the idea as it made his head hurt to think of Genesis as an old man trapped in a young body. "Why did you let him in if you know what he is?"

Aerith smirked up at him and tapped his cheek, the tattoo stinging under her touch. "Elmyra doesn't give these to just anyone. I wanted to give them to you earlier, but you would have no part of it. She wanted to give them to him too but he said he would bite her if she tried. She probably didn't get permission from you either did she?" Reno shook his head and she laughed as she continued to care for his wounds. "That Elmyra, always doing what she thinks is best regardless of what anyone else wants. Oh well, you've got the protection now and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Why did the tattoos make you let him in?" Reno prodded his achy face with one finger, his confusion growing with each word Aerith said.

"Because they single you out for protection from the Flamekeeper." Aerith paused her work to make a strange symbol with her fingers and bow her head, Reno's eyebrows rising as she did so. After her strange finger moment she continued to patch up Reno's chest. "The fact that Genesis tried to attack you after you received such protection means that you're meeting was destined and any interference on my part would be foolish and possibly anger the gods. That's why I kept Zack from yelling at you, he didn't want Genesis here at all and would have sent him away. Sometimes the ignorance you and your brother have about these things angers me, but you'll learn. At least _you_ have no choice but to learn now, last night was the start of your destiny and from here on out you and Genesis will have to rely on any protection you can get."

"How the hell do you know everything?" Reno frowned as Aerith put the finishing touches on a set of more professional bandages.

Aerith rolled her eyes and stepped back to admire her handiwork. "I'm a gypsy dummy! I can use magic to figure out what's happening. Last night when you didn't come home I sat in here for hours unraveling the story told in the bones. It wasn't hard to figure out what happened to you once I realized it was Genesis who attacked you. Before I figured that out nothing made sense."

Reno opened his mouth to ask more questions but a knock on the door interrupted him. Aerith stood and answered it, opening the door to Genesis' worried face. Genesis spotted Reno and brushed past Aerith, his face concerned as he addressed Aerith with questions. "The wound won't turn him will it?"

"No, only a bite would turn him, though I'm sure just a scratch is not what your counterpart aimed for." Aerith crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at Genesis as he inspected her handiwork, both of them ignoring Reno's blushing protests as the red clad man poked at his chest.

"My 'counterpart', as you call it, would've given much more than a scratch had it not been for that cage." Genesis agreed sullenly, his fingers still prodding at the bandages despite Reno's small yelps.

"Stop poking me!" Reno shoved Genesis' hand away and stood up, wrapping his arms around his chest and backing away from the two.

Genesis and Aerith both raised an eyebrow at Reno as he slowly turned red, his tattoos soon blending into his face as he blushed furiously at his sudden realization of vulnerability. After a few moments of staring they ignored him and went back to discussing what had happened as if he wasn't there.

"So the cage saved him?" Aerith began putting away her supplies as Genesis frowned at her. Reno could sense the horrible amount of tension between the two and he wasn't sure he wanted to know what had caused the buried anger.

"Yes, the beast was unable to break through the bars." Genesis' displeased frown seemed to be directed at himself; but Reno couldn't help but think that a good portion of that frown was for Aerith.

"So what Elmyra and I gave you before you skulked off did manage to weaken it?" Aerith's voice held mocking derision and bitterness, two emotions Reno had never heard from her before.

Genesis bristled and set his hands on his hips angrily. "I did not skulk off! I left because nothing you two were doing was working! I needed results not fairytale cures!"

Aerith raised her arm as if to slap Genesis, but then lowered it and started counting, her shaking hands balling into fists as Reno cowered in the corner. Once Aerith reached ten she took a deep breath and addressed Genesis again, her voice shaking with repressed anger. "You hardly gave us any time to try anything! Twelve changes are not enough to figure out the problem!"

"I stayed for a year letting you two play with herbs and tonics, waiting patiently for something to work! Did you expect me to stay when I got word that someone had developed an actual cure?" Genesis' voice was raising and Reno was sure that soon the two would be having a yelling match. He started to edge towards the door to try and escape before the fireworks exploded, but Aerith held out her hand and gave him a piercing glare.

"Don't you dare leave Reno! You need to know just how your new _friend _acts when things don't go his way." Aerith's voice dripped with malice as she turned back to Genesis, Reno's attempt at leaving successfully deterred. "So how well did that cure work Genesis?" She pointed a shaking finger at Reno, accusation heavy in her voice. "Apparently last night went real well!"

Genesis looked at Reno and winced as if he had been dealt a physical blow, his own hands balling into fists at his side. "It obviously didn't work. I was actually on my way to see Elmyra and yourself last night when the change overtook me. I had thought I was still far enough away from civilization to be safe, but apparently I was wrong."

Aerith frowned and stuck her hands on her hips. "You were very wrong! Had you gotten the protection that Elmyra and I wanted to give you then maybe you would've been able to control yourself enough not to hurt my brother-in-law."

Genesis snorted and rolled his eyes. "I hardly see what a few needle pricks in my face would've done."

"They protected him didn't they!" Aerith pointed at Reno again as he tried once again to edge his way out of the room.

"Can I go now?" Reno asked hopefully, his discomfort growing by the second.

"No!" They commanded in unison, both of them turning to face him with their hands on their hips. They looked at each other and began laughing, the sudden change in atmosphere making Reno want to leave even more.

"Gods we always fight like this, don't we Aerith?" Genesis smiled and crossed the room to lay and comforting hand on Aerith's shoulder like they were the best of friends.

Aerith nodded and gave Reno an apologetic glance. "Sorry you had to see that Reno. No matter what Elmyra did Genesis and I were never able to get along for more than about five minutes at a time when we tried to discuss his condition or really anything for that matter." She shrugged off Genesis' hand and gave Reno a pat on the shoulder before leaving the room with a warning. "Be nice to him Genesis! I won't have you messing up his bandages!"

Genesis snorted and rolled his eyes before letting them rest on Reno who was trying very hard to blend into the wall behind him. "What all did you gather from that?"

Reno blushed again as Genesis addressed him, his eyes fighting to fix themselves on his face. Genesis had taken something from his closet that he had never worn, a nice red leather ensemble that made it very difficult for Reno not to let his eyes roam. He cleared his throat and did his best not to think about the fact that he was half naked. "You and Aerith aren't pals, you're trying to find a cure for the wolfy thing, and you're way older than you look."

Genesis chuckled. "Does my age bother you?" Reno shook his head and Genesis smiled. "I'm not terribly old actually. I was bit when I was about twenty-five and it's only been a few years since then that I've been looking for a cure." Reno nodded his comprehension and pressed himself into the wall as Genesis walked forward to examine his bandages again. "No matter how much I doubt her other abilities I will always be impressed by Aerith's ability to heal. You should fix up quite nicely. Sorry about the scars you'll have though, apparently I thought you'd be quite tasty." Reno gave a nervous chuckle as Genesis grabbed his chin and turned his face from side to side; examining it much in the same way he had examined his chest. "Did I do anything else to harm you?" Reno shook his head as best he could under Genesis' firm grip and Genesis sighed with relief before releasing him. "Good. I hate unnecessary suffering."

Reno let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding as Genesis released him. "I'm not a fan of it either." Reno cleared his throat nervously as Genesis walked out of the room, his throbbing heart making the pain in his chest seem all the more acute.

**

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Author's Note: Yay for a new update! It's not as long as I wanted it to be, but this seemed like a good place to end chapter two ya know?

**Thanks to anyone who's reading this, I appreciate it!**


	3. Chapter 3

Reno dashed to his room as fast as his tired legs would take him, his arms wrapped tightly around his chest to try and cover himself. It was a pathetic attempt really, his entire torso was out in the open for anyone to see despite his well-wrapped arms, not that it mattered, but an attempt was an attempt all the same and he felt better for it. He slammed the door to his room shut behind him when he finally made it inside his personal sanctuary and sighed with relief as he changed into fresh clothes. Reno dressed quickly, trying to dispel the sudden feeling of utter vulnerability that Genesis' vice-like grip and his own half-nakedness had inspired.

Reno threw his bed a longing glance, a night curled up in fear and exhaustion on hard ground beneath horse hooves had done little for him in the way of a restful night's sleep. He chewed his lower lip as he contemplated stripping again and throwing himself into the bed for a few quick hours of much needed rest but he quickly dismissed the idea when he remembered that there was a recently naked but now clothed werewolf, injured horse, upset gypsy, and aggravated brother that needed his attention.

Reno sighed and slipped out of his room, quickly finding himself face to face with the aggravated brother he had mentally been saving for last. He had put Zack on the bottom of his internal 'to deal with' list for very good reasons. Zack was temperamental around Reno at the best of times and at the worst of times they were only one bloodline away from being enemies. Reno squared his shoulders as they were grasped and he was given a piercing look. Blue eyes regarded each other for a moment before Zack began his questioning. "What happened?"

Reno had gone through such interrogations before and had learned the perfect way of dealing with them. He would answer each question shortly and quickly, give extra details where required, maintain eye contact, don't lash out, and keep his breathing even and when he was satisfied Zack would leave him be. Reno had learned these rules through a series of trial and error, most errors resulting in his wrongdoing being found out or his face being shoved in the dirt as he lost in a pitiful and pathetically one-sided attempt at a fight with the brother who could easily overpower him. "I was attacked by a wolf."

"One wolf?" Zack barely blinked as he stared Reno down.

"One." Reno nodded.

"You didn't kill it?" Zack raised an eyebrow.  
"Attacked while I was distracted by pain, didn't have time to kill it before it attacked." Reno pointed at his tattoos.

Zack nodded. "Who was attacked first, you or the horse?"

"Bethany first, then me." Reno breathed deeply and evenly.

Zack nodded again. "How did you manage to escape?"

Reno sighed. This question required a more detailed answer. He hated when the questions required detailed answers. "Bethany was injured first and bolted. I managed to calm her and jumped down to try and tend to her. The wolf attacked me then, but I shot it and it ran off afterwards."

"If it was that quick why didn't you get home until this morning?" Zack frowned.

Reno quickly validated his lie. "Bethany wouldn't continue. She was afraid and hurt, so I patched us up as best as I could and slept in the cage."

Zack nodded. "Where does the naked man come in?"

Reno blushed slightly, a mistake he caught and rectified quickly, breathing in slowly and forcing the blood from his face. "I found him on the side of the road this morning. He said he was robbed while returning to the Inn after visiting the gypsy camp last night."

"So you brought him home?" Zack frowned and released Reno's shoulders.

Reno took a step back, taking the unspoken signal that his interrogation was over and Zack was at least somewhat satisfied with his answers. That meant it was safe for him to be somewhat snarky again. "I couldn't leave a naked, hungry, and cold man laying on the side of the road, now could I?"

Zack snorted and shook his head. "Nah, guess not." Reno turned to leave and Zack caught his shoulder gently. "Listen Reno, I'm glad you're okay and didn't die, but you brought him home so from here on out he's your responsibility got it?"

Reno blushed and turned back around. "So anything he does wrong is on my head then?"

Zack laughed and shook his head. "No, but I do expect you to show up at dinner while he's here. No more hiding wherever it is you hide every night."

Reno groaned and his shoulders slumped. "But family dinners mean family arguments and family arguments means you and Aerith have loud make-up sex that I have to try and sleep through!"

Zack blushed and punched Reno lightly on the arm. "Well now two people will have to try and sleep through it!" He grinned cheerfully at the disgusted look that crossed Reno's face and walked off with a small spring in his step.

Reno quickly tried to wash the mental image Zack had presented him with out of his head with a shudder. He shook his head as if to clear it and stalked off, the events of the day getting only more disturbing with each passing hour. After what Zack had just said he decided to put off talking to Aerith, all things considered the werewolf whose very existence went against his every belief about how things worked was far less upsetting than his own family.

* * *

Genesis was leaning against a garden wall in front of the estate when Reno found him, a chunk of wood and a small knife moving quickly in his hands as wood shavings rained onto the ground. Genesis seemed to be ignoring him, but Reno didn't really mind. He wasn't even sure he knew what he had to discuss with Genesis, but it seemed like something he had to do even if his body was begging him for sleep. No matter how much he wanted to sprint back to his room and sweep the events of the day under the rug where he could deal with them later, he put sleeping on hold in favor of the social task he despised most: conversation.

Reno cleared his throat to get Genesis' attention. Genesis chuckled and continued whittling. "Calm down, I can hear your pulse from over here. I told you that you were safe for another month so stop acting like I could attack you at any second."

Reno laughed nervously and began taking deep breaths. "Sorry." He stood in front of Genesis with his hands in his pockets, trying with some difficulty to retain his composure.

Genesis nodded and continued whittling, no taking his eyes off his work.

Reno shifted uncomfortably, unused to being ignored even if he wished that he was most of the time. "What're you making?"

"Smaller block of wood." Genesis chuckled and continued shaving down the small brown chuck of rapidly disappearing matter in his hand.

Reno laughed and instantly his nerves seemed to fade away. He smiled brightly and sat on a bench set between large flower bushes. Reno pulled off one of the pink tinted blossoms and began shredding the unfortunate petals between his fingers. "So how long do you think you're going to stay?"

Genesis snorted with a small smile. "Anxious to get rid of me already Reno?"

Reno blushed and shook his head. "No it's not that, I was just wondering how long you wanted to put up with our company before you went back to looking for a cure."

Genesis sighed heavily and stabbed at the small chunk of wood nestled in his palms. "I can't stay long. I should probably leave in the morning. The sooner I find a cure the better, don't you agree?"

Reno nodded in understanding and stared forlornly at the small petal-less nub of flower he held in his hands. He didn't know why but it felt like Genesis had just issued a premature farewell, one he was strangely reluctant to receive. "Yeah, I do. You know, Aerith can probably help you. I don't believe in all her crazy mumbo jumbo, but since it's obviously real I guess I kinda hafta give her some credit, ya know?"

Genesis laughed dryly and resumed digging at the wood chunk in his hand. "I didn't believe in any of this until it happened to me."

"Do you think that maybe its fate for the nonbelievers to get more involvement than they ever wanted?" Reno chuckled and laid back on the bench, plucking another doomed flower from its delicate perch on a stem.

Genesis laughed bitterly, his face suddenly growing sad as he stowed the knife inside his jacket. He threw the ruined scrap of wood onto Reno's chest with shame-filled eyes and began walking away. "If I believed in fate, then wouldn't that make me a believer?"

Reno sat up and let the lifeless flower drop from his fingers. He watched as Genesis stalked away, his head held high and his back straight despite the shame that had weighed down his eyes. Reno grabbed the small, oddly carved piece of wood that had fallen off of his chest and looked it over curiously. Genesis obviously hadn't been attempting to make anything, the nonsensical curves and stab marks that littered the front of the wood were anything but an organized and thought out design, but it was beautiful nonetheless. If Reno tilted his head to the side he could almost discern a sense of order in the markings, but he couldn't tilt his head far enough to fully understand the pattern.

Reno sighed and shoved the piece of wood into his pocket as he stood up. He brushed the shredded remains of the flowers off his suit and looked around for Genesis, cringing as he saw a small pink shape approach the now distant red one. The second the two distant shapes reached each other he decided against going back into the house and instead turned his steps towards the stables where the company he would find was much quieter and more willing to be around him for long stretches of time.

Reno entered the stables and was immediately assaulted by the far too familiar stench of fresh and stagnant waste mixed with animal sweat. His eyes watered because of the smell, but he was far too used to the smell to give it any consideration besides that. He walked quickly, skirting the stable hands, tackle, and feed bags without any trouble, grabbing a few apples and several large handfuls of sugar cubes on the way, all of which he stuffed into his pockets.

Before he had died Reno's father Angeal had loved horses and had bought more than the family could ever possibly need. The horses were put to work on the several acres of land owned by the Hewley family and were often lent out to local farmers during planting and harvest seasons. Many had even been given away just to ease the strain of having to care for so many at once leaving a good number of the stalls empty. Reno had one horse in particular he was looking for however, and as he passed through the nearly empty stable he wondered just what kind of shape his dear Bethany would be in when he found her. When she had been lead to the stable that morning she had been tired and hurt; two things that didn't make Reno very happy. To Reno Bethany was more than just his horse; she was a pet and a trusted companion. Most days he talked to the horse more than he talked to his family.

Reno found the brown mare lying on the floor of her stable with a large set of bandages crossing her left flank, small amounts of crusted blood peeking out amongst the otherwise white covering. She raised her head and nickered softly as the door to her stall was opened, her tail flicking at nonexistent flies as Reno entered. He sighed happily and knelt beside her in the clean straw that had been laid out earlier that day, the crisp crunching noise beneath his knees a testament to the care Reno loved to have lavished upon his precious horse. Reno beamed and wrapped his arms around Bethany's neck as she sniffed eagerly at his pockets, eager to see what treats he had brought for her. He gently pushed her nose away and scratched between her upturned ears. "Hey ya spoil sport who says those treats are for you?" Bethany snorted at him and resumed nosing at his pockets greedily, making Reno laugh happily as he nuzzled his face into hers. "I know I know what other horse deserves such delicious things right?" He pulled a large green apple out of his pocket and held it out to her, watching as she picked it up daintily and began munching with glee.

Reno stroked her gently, carefully examining the bandages that crossed her flank as she ate one apple and then another that she nosed out of his pocket easily. Satisfied with the work done to fix his beloved pet's injury Reno began carefully grooming her, mumbling words of praise and comfort to her and feeding her sugar cubes all the while. By the time he was done her lovely brown coat gleamed and the sun had started to go down, taking his fine spirits with it.

Reno didn't want to go to dinner with the family that evening for obvious reasons. Conversation was always awkward and tense and the fact that there was a visitor that night wouldn't make things any different except to possibly increase the familial strain even more and the higher the strain got, the more they argued, and the louder Zack and Aerith's nightly activities would be. Reno shuddered at the thought and curled up by Bethany's side, any thoughts of going in to eat immediately scattered as he shook his head to get rid of the terrifyingly vivid mental image that had been brought forth by Zack earlier.

Reno usually stayed in the stables or wandered the gardens during dinner, going in only when the need to eat was so pressing he couldn't stand it. At the moment he could ignore the small pains that wracked his stomach because the apple in his hand was delicious and he knew where to find more. He stayed at Bethany's side, watching the sun dip lower and the lights in the estate flicker to life and pour through each window. Reno could picture what was happening inside as he watched a few shadows loom through the windows. The table would be set for four, but only three would actually make it to appreciate the effort put into cooking the meal. The food would be served and eaten without him, Zack would apologize to Genesis for his absence and probably say something somewhat rude about him which would earn him a reproachful comment from Aerith, and then the arguing would begin. Reno was sure that Genesis would get dragged into the fight somehow, whether he was willing to participate or not. Thinking of all of the fighting that would take place made Reno feel like he was a genius for deciding to spend his evening in the stables.

Reno lay next to Bethany and munched an apple as he fed her sugar cubes and talked to her about anything that came to his mind, his voice low and calm so he wouldn't bother any of the other animals. Bethany nickered and snorted at all the right moments, nuzzling him with her nose when he felt like he needed a hug and gently munching on straw when he went silent and took a small chunk of wood out of his pocket to examine it quietly. Reno was well aware that Bethany couldn't understand a single word he said and only responded to the tone of his voice as he shifted emotions, but she was a comfort all the same. Even though she couldn't truly understand anything he said, to Reno she was the one creature that could truly understand him.

Reno talked until his throat grew sore and dry and then he simply stroked Bethany's side as he yawned widely. The lack of sleep he had gotten the night before made the straw under his back seem like a bed made of swan down and the dark interior of the stable only encouraged his desire to sleep. Soon he gave in to the demands of his body and closed his eyes, Bethany's tail flicking over his legs and her head wrapping around him to rest on his chest as she followed his lead.

* * *

When night fell and Reno was still nowhere to be found Genesis began worrying, pacing Reno's bedroom anxiously as he tried to block out the sounds of Zack and Aerith apologizing loudly in another room. For such a grand home the walls were surprisingly thin. He had been given a guest bedroom to spend the night in, but it was much closer to Zack and Aerith's room than he wanted to be when they were busy enjoying each other. Genesis' brow furrowed as he paced a hole in Reno's carpet, the light from a candle he had lit in the window flickering softly and throwing his features into deep shadows.

Between the intermittent arguments over anything that happened to pass through Zack's head the subject of a recent slew of murders had been discussed, something that made Genesis worry even more. According to Zack there had been at least four people found dead in the past four months, their throats slit and their bodies drained of blood. Even to the untrained eye the murders were suspicious and worrisome. Genesis had experience with a similar kind of strange murders before and to him the bloodless bodies had an entirely different meaning, the dry corpses weaving a slightly different story than anyone else would have heard.

* * *

Reno slept peacefully next to his horse despite the frightened whinnies of the other animals. Small footsteps could be heard echoing throughout the stable as an unwelcome guest calmly traversed the dirty halls. A stable hand who had stayed late to finish his nights work fell with a dull thumb after a small, cut off cry of terror and the footsteps continued, a scraping noise following after them as the dead stable hand was dragged across the floor.

Bethany raised her head as the door to her stall was opened, an apple rolling across the floor towards her catching her eye and diverting her attention as a slim silver-haired figure stepped into the stall. The man bent down over Reno quietly, his every movement smooth and silent. His hair brushed across Reno's nose and it twitched in his sleep as he mumbled something incoherent and the man smirked, one pointed fang creeping over his lower lip as he did so. He stroked Bethany gently with blood tipped fingers, the horse shivering lightly as she munched on her apple. A gloved finger stroked over a large vein protruding from Reno's neck and he shivered in his sleep as a smeared blood trail was left behind. In the thin light of the barn Reno's tattoos were clearly visible as they stood out from his pale face and the man chuckled lightly, "You've been singled out for us. How kind of that woman."

Bethany nickered fearfully at the stench of blood that started filling the stall and the man tossed her another apple. He sniffed at Reno's neck and snorted in disgust. "Yuck you smell like him! Why did the stupid werewolf have to mark you?" He growled and stood, grabbing a saddle blanket from its place in the corner and draping it over the slightly shivering Reno. He ran a slightly bloody hand through his moonlight colored hair with a sigh. "Don't worry tasty one, it can be fixed."

Bethany draped her head back around Reno as the door to the stall closed behind the unnaturally silent man, the sound of dragging filling the stable again as Reno tossed lightly in his sleep.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry this update took so long! I was having trouble with the beginning (which you might be able to tell) and none of the characters wanted to cooperate until the end. I'll try to be faster next time! **

**Also; who wants to guess who the man at the end was? If ya get it right without me tellin ya I'll write ya a one chappie story with characters and situation of your choosing! **

**(Yeah, I'm cheating. That's my incentive for people to review)**


	4. Chapter 4

Reno yawned as weak dawn sunshine burned through his eyelids. The straw strewn floor that had been comfortable the night before had left numerous cramping cricks in his back that anxiously needed removed. He sat up and stretched, pushing the familiar weight of Bethany's head off of his lap and listening to the loud snaps that joyously popped from his back. Bethany nuzzled against his shoulder, trying to assist him as he woke up. He kept his eyes tightly shut and bumped his face against hers, earning himself another nuzzle. A smile stretched across his half-sleeping features and he burrowed his face into her neck, the dark horrors of his nightmare cowering at the warm sunlight filtering through the stable roof to bathe the half-awake inhabitants in comforting daytime.

A small snickt brought Reno fully awake and he tore his eyes open, jerking his head to the side to see who had drawn a knife. He sighed with relief at the sight of Genesis whittling atop the stall door, the final remains of his nightmare giving up after their last feeble jab at his consciousness. "Mornin' Gen."

Genesis stared at Reno warily, the scrap of wood in his hands getting smaller and smaller as he carved it away. The stench of blood blocked out nearly all others and disrupted his fearful thoughts. He had to wonder why Reno couldn't smell it, especially when it was trailed down his neck. The small streak of blood on Reno's neck stroked his anger and he quickly stowed his knife, fearful of the dreadful beast that haunted his waking thoughts and clawed at the margin of dreams and reality. He slipped off of the stall door and squatted down in front of Reno, the sudden reek of an unmistakably vampiric scent confirming his suspicions. Reno shirked from his touch and Bethany bared her teeth, the swiftness of his movement unregistered by him. He gripped Reno's chin and tilted it back, examining the stained neck before him for telltale signs of feasting.

Reno gulped audibly and set a steadying hand on Bethany's neck, guiding her bared teeth away from Genesis as his own neck was studiously examined. He shook softly against Bethany's side, torn between the desire to push away from the uninvited touch and the need to arch into it. He kept still and waited for Genesis to finish whatever inspection he was making, gently running his fingers over Bethany's silky coat in a feeble attempt to soothe her.

Genesis sighed with relief after his fingers found no break in Reno's pale skin. Only the blood of those taken was burning in his nostrils and while that didn't please him knowing that Reno was unharmed took away some of his fear. He sat back and frowned, his anxiety and fear morphing into a more justifiable anger. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

Reno blinked and curled his fingers into Bethany's mane, fighting the immature urge to repeat Genesis' own question back to him. "I was sleeping."

Genesis growled and stood, angrily tossing his hands. "You're sleeping out in the open when there's a murderer on the loose!" Genesis kicked the stall door open and allowed Reno to drink in the chilling sight of blood-soaked footprints on the straw dusted dirt floor.

Reno paled and fought the urge to vomit as the sight of so much blood pulled his nightmare back from the half-forgotten depths into which it had been sent. He shivered and shoved himself away from Bethany as she rolled to her feet, stamping and snorting with fear as the scent of blood flooded the room. Genesis pulled him away roughly, slamming the stall door closed to hide the blood that, even then, was being cleaned away by shaking stable hands. Reno didn't think of protesting as he was dragged away from his panicking horse, his entire mind wrapped in the horror unveiled before him. He had thought his nightmare was only that; a nightmare. Apparently it had been so much more than he could've ever imagined.

Genesis dragged Reno into the yard, the full light of the morning shinning as if it had no knowledge of the things that had happened at night. If the light knew for a moment the horrible things taking place in its rays that morning it would've hid behind the clouds in fear. He led Reno to the cage, the iron carriage already settled on the back of a horse and filled with enough silver weaponry to arm a militia. He pushed Reno into the driver's seat, gripping the reigns and steering the over-eager stallion towards the house where Aerith stood in hopeful apprehension.

Aerith watched as the cage drew near, afraid to approach despite the fact that the sunlight took away the possibility of Reno having been turned. She waited for Genesis to hop down from the drivers sear to approach, the shaking way she touched Reno's hand pulling him from his horrorstricken shock.

"A-Aerith?" Reno looked down at his sister-in-law and gripped her hand tightly, its shaking solidity reminding him where the real world was.

Aerith examined Reno with worry, the blood streaking his neck reawakening her fear. She directed her question at Genesis, her voice surprisingly steady. "Why not him? He was easy prey, why wasn't he taken?"

Genesis frowned and shook his head, making sure all the guns were loaded as he spoke. "No idea. It's not safe for him until we kill the vampire that wants him." Genesis thrust a rifle into Reno's lap, the silver bullets inside it leaving small blisters on his fingertips.

Reno blinked and took the gun shakily, "V-Vampire?"

Aerith nodded and wiped at her eyes, relief and fear making them leak. "Yes. It took a stable boy last night and has been wreaking havoc on the town ever since. We don't know how many are turned, but now that its daylight it should be easier to tell who was bitten and who wasn't. Your brother is in town helping restore some sense of order. So long as the sun stays out we should all be safe."

Reno nodded and looked at the unfamiliar weapon in his hands. "Where did all these guns come from?"

Aerith gave Reno a weak smile, gently stroking the stallion that pulled the cage. "They're mine. If you didn't notice Genesis isn't exactly cuddly when he turns. Elmyra and I had to defend ourselves."

Reno nodded, the small ache in his chest reminding him just how hard it was to handle a werewolf. It was a wonder Aerith had never been bitten. He blinked and looked at his gun, shaking slightly as he directed his next question to Genesis. "H-how hard is it to kill a vampire?"

Genesis finished loading his last gun and took his place in the driver's seat. "How hard was it to shoot me?"

Reno frowned, "It wasn't that hard. You were trying to kill me."

Genesis snorted and took up the reigns, a loaded rifle resting in his lap. "Knowing what I am would you shoot me now?" Reno shook his head vigorously. Genesis gave him a sad, knowing smile and nodded at Aerith as he led the horse down the drive. "That's because I have a human face. Vampires look like humans, act like humans, and will kill you without a second thought because they _eat_ humans."

Reno paled and looked at his feet, fear pushing bile to his throat as he remembered the almost-touch he felt in his nightmare. "Why didn't it eat me?"

Genesis shrugged and set the horse at a gallop, following the trail of blood into town. "Remind me to ask the vampire that before I shoot him."

Reno shivered and nodded weakly, his eyes glued to the ground that raced by below them. He could hear screams in the distance and paled as a group of clouds blocked the sun, shielding its innocent eyes from the horror that was about to take place.

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Author's Note: I am SO sorry this took so long to get done! I've been really busy with classes and my new job and all sorts of other things. Please forgive me?

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Oh, forgive me for the cliffhanger too. That was on purpose but rather cruel…


	5. Chapter 5

Reno kept his eyes on the ground as Genesis steered horse and cage towards the town. Reno was doing his best to keep his fear contained, but small tremors of it shook his body with each renewed scream of fright that echoed out from Kalm. He tried not to look at Genesis; he didn't want the older man to think he was a coward no matter how well he fit that label. He was unable to keep from sneaking a peek at him, simply to try and reassure himself that he wasn't the only one frightened. Unfortunately, Genesis' cold eyes focused forward in angry determination and sent away any thoughts of the man being frightened, the blue pools were icy and growing frostier by the minute.

As Genesis led them into town the stench of fear and death wrapped around them, making him feel slightly sick. People were scurrying about in terror, nearly running underfoot of the large stallion pulling the cage along as they rushed to find some form of safety. Many of the people were loading up their wagons and carriages, intent on leaving the town immediately. Genesis couldn't blame them; the thing that had attacked them in the night was most likely still lurking nearby.

Genesis had difficulty restraining his anger as they passed through the corpse strewn town overrun with the stench of fear, blood, and vampire. Reno trembled beside him; unable to take the sight of so many dead bodies, but Genesis had seen sights like this before. He had seen this sight more times than he wanted to think about.

Reno rocked slightly, working hard to keep frightened tears inside his body. A few of them leaked through his tightly clenched eyelids, but he didn't bother to wipe them away. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but the sights and sounds around him weren't it. The second they had entered Kalm Reno had had to fight the urge to vomit. He had recognized some of the faces turned pale with death and their glassy eyes seemed to stare straight into his soul, increasing his fright as he realized that there was the possibility that, even then, they might be transforming into monsters.

Genesis stopped the cage in the square of the town, pulling Reno to the ground and looking around warily for some sign of their quarry. Genesis wasn't sure if the vampire would be brave enough to wander about in the near-sunless day surrounding them, but he wasn't going to take any chances.

Reno stood shakily next to the surprisingly unafraid horse tethered to the cage, gently running a trembling hand over its sweaty side as he tried to separate himself from the terrified screams around him. He looked around and spotted Zack and ran towards him in relief, knowing that his brother would make it all better. Zack always managed to make things better even if he screwed up on the unimportant things. His relief soon turned to terror as Zack turned to face him, blood smeared on his skin and clothing from the corpse held in his arms. Reno stopped a few feet from Zack and watched as his brother set the body on the ground, crying softly. Zack closed the glassy eyes of the small brunette boy and stood, shoulders shaking softly.

Reno shivered and set a shaky hand on Zack's shoulder, glad that the small space he placed his hand on was free of blood. He had no words to say, but none were truly needed. Reno didn't think his brother knew the boy who lay dead on the ground between them, his body abandoned by parents who thought he would turn into the blood thirsty creature that attacked them, but that didn't matter. What made Zack cry, and made Reno join him in his tears, was the fact that the boy couldn't have been older than five.

Genesis growled softly, scanning the rooftops around him for some clue as to where the other inhuman being in the town was. Trails of bloody footprints crisscrossed along the rooftops in a maze of gore and Genesis couldn't follow the insensible paths. He decided he would have to find a way onto the rooftops so that he could search. He frowned and headed towards the spot where Reno and Zack stood quietly crying over the dead body of what Genesis assumed was a friend and snapped his fingers before their faces in an attempt to bring them to their senses.

Zack growled and slapped Genesis' hand away irritably. "What the hell do you want?"

Genesis frowned and pointed at the blood-soaked prints crisscrossing the roof above Zack's head. "Whoever did this is still here. We have to kill it."

Zack's eyes narrowed as he edged away from the ledge of the roof where small droplets of blood were falling. "It?"

Genesis sighed and scanned the rooftops hastily, watching for a fleeting sign or movement. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you what it is so don't ask questions. Just know I've killed them before and plan on killing more if they don't get me first. Grab a gun from the cage and show me how to get onto the roofs."

Zack nodded and rushed to the cage, grabbing a gun and guiding Genesis to the church. "You can jump off of the bell tower and get to the roofs. What does it look like?"

"A human." Genesis snorted softly and ran into the church with Reno following closely on his heels. Zack stared after them in bewilderment, trying to understand what Genesis meant.

Reno led Genesis up to the bell tower; he only knew where it was because as a child he and Zack had climbed up to it during a sermon to escape the boring words that captivated their father and mother. They had been grounded for weeks and Reno remembered the incident with fondness even as fear boxed him in on all sides.

Once they reached the top of the bell tower fear immediately seized Reno again. He could see every inch of the blood soaked town and his new vantage point didn't make the sight any prettier. Horses, wagons, and carriages were flowing out of the town in all directions, leaving small trails of blood behind them as they blindly splashed through puddles of blood the vampire hadn't lapped up. Reno shivered and looked at Genesis in confusion. "Why did it kill them but not drink the blood?"

Genesis snorted and searched the rooftops eagerly, eyes alert for any movement in the nearly town below them. "That's a question to ask it when we find it." Genesis growled as he spotted movement on a far off roof.

Genesis leaped from the high bell tower and landed cleanly on the roof below, pausing long enough to motion for Reno to follow before charging away. Reno blinked and paled as he looked down, slightly dizzy from the height of the suggested jump. With every second he hesitated, Genesis moved farther and farther away, not seeming to care if Reno followed or not. Reno could see Zack standing dumbfounded in the square below as he watched Genesis' progress over the shingled roofs above him.

Reno steeled himself and jumped, landing hard and gracelessly on the roof below. The fall left him horribly shaken, but relatively unharmed. He knew his body would be sore from the tumbling contact with the roof once he gave himself time to feel it. Luckily his drive to chase after Genesis left him no room to think about the pain and as soon as air rushed back into his lungs he was on his feet and hastily following the slippery shingled path after Genesis.

Genesis growled softly as the two vampires he had spotted from high in the bell-tower came into view, their voices blowing towards him on the breeze before he was within firing range.

The small pixie-ish girl stomped and wrung her hands as she surveyed the town below her, casting furtive glances at the cloudy sky. "Tseng, we've gotta find him! Master will have a fit if he gets away with this!"

The tall dark haired man the girl whined at showed no emotional response to her words as he traced his eyes over the town. "I know that, Yuffie. Stop talking. You can't look for him with your mouth."

Yuffie frowned and stomped childishly on the roof below her, dislodging a few of the loose shingles. "What are we supposed to do when the sun comes out? You don't know how long those clouds are gonna shield us and I don't wanna die again!"

Tseng gave her a piercing glare, towering over her with anger written on his previously expressionless face. He opened his mouth to chastise the obnoxious girl when he suddenly went stock still, nostrils flared. His dark eyes darted over to Genesis who was only a few rooftops away and drawing closer. He growled softly, thin eyes narrowing as Genesis raised his gun. "Stupid wolf!" He tossed Yuffie to the side and dodged the poisonous bullet easily, drawing his own gun and returning fire.

Genesis cries out as the unexpected bullet pierced into his shoulder, silver tearing through his vulnerable flesh easily. He gripped his arm and glared at the vampire that drew closer to him as he fell to his knees in pain. His voice dripped with malice as he spat words at the vampire. "Why did you do it?"

Tseng drew closer to the bleeding creature and frowned, gun trained on the beautifully angry face. "You fired first."

Genesis glared at Tseng, anger warring with pain on his features as the silver burned dully in his shoulder. "You know that's not what I meant!"

Tseng nodded and watched Yuffie scurry away out of the corner of his eye, suspecting that she had finally spotted their elusive quarry. "I know what you meant, but I refuse to take credit for what I did not do. This horror-filled masterpiece was not crafted by my hand. I am not your enemy."

Genesis blinked as the gun barrel was drawn away from him and focused elsewhere. Confusion wrinkled his face and he glared at the vampire, forcing anger through the pain in his voice. "Who is then?"

Tseng frowned as he watched chaos unfold in his peripheral vision. "I'll explain after. Tell your friend not to shoot at me or my companion." He ignored Genesis' angry growl and sped off, crossing the distance between rooftops with ease.

Genesis turned and stood shakily, holding his shoulder as agony rendered his arm useless. Reno was scrambling madly across rooftops, his poor balance making Genesis wonder how he managed to stay upright at all as he drew closer. He hissed as pain brought him back to his knees, his vision swimming slightly. "Don't shoot the dark-haired ones."

Reno nodded and crouched by Genesis, shaking softly as a fear of heights rattled his senses. He looked at the wound with worry, nose wrinkling at the smell of fresh blood. "It shot you, but you don't want me to shoot it?"

Genesis grit his teeth and nodded, cursing the silver lodged inside him. He watched helplessly as three shapes tangled in the distance, two familiar and one not, praying that the sun would appear and wipe them from existence.

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Author's Note: Well that took a while to get written…..the plot line didn't wanna cooperate so I had to write it about 3 different ways before I settled on a final version that (hopefully) makes sense. Hope you enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

Reno watched in fear as the vampires fought in the distance, demolishing the town he had grown up in. He shivered as the prison he had carefully guarded for the past few years was smashed open, its brick walls not able to withstand the crushing force of a vampire hurled into its side. Reno trembled next to Genesis, holding his sleeve tightly as he watched buildings crumble to reveal the dead laying within. Genesis was still hissing with pain; the blood seeping from his arm stained Reno's hands. Reno didn't realize that Genesis' blood was soaking through the sleeve held tightly between his trembling fingers as he was too focused on the frightening spectacle of violence in front of them.

Reno blinked as the vampires suddenly darted from sight without apparent cause. He didn't know where the vampires had went, they had all moved too quickly for his weak human eyes to see. The silence that followed their cessation of violence made the hair on the back of Reno's neck prickle uncomfortably. His grip on Genesis' sleeve tightened. He watched as small rays of sunlight filtered through the clouds of debris that settled over the town like a soft blanket of leftover destruction.

Reno gazed at the wreckage, staring intently at a spot in the dusty ruble that used to be his place of employment. He slipped from the roof, panic suddenly drowning out his fear. Something was making the bricks and mortar in the ruble pile move, and he would oust it. In the sunlight he wouldn't even need to shoot, he would only need to sit back and watch the creature evaporate. It would be so satisfying to watch the vampire turn to ash, whether it was the one that had smeared blood over his neck or not. His blood suddenly screamed for vengeance as he sprinted towards the ruble of jail-house, the destroyed homes and bodies around him feeding his anger until it boiled and writhed beneath his skin.

Genesis growled Reno's name as he watched him leave, pain making it hard for him to follow. The silver in his arm pounded through his veins, dissolving into his blood and making him want to writhe in agony as it assaulted his body. His shoulder throbbed and as he slipped off of the roof after Reno a sudden surge of pain made him stumble, removing any amount of grace from his uncontrolled descent to the ground. He howled with pain as he landed, the silver biting into him and making lights swim behind his eyes. The silver wouldn't kill him, not while he was still mostly human, but he was too fresh from his change for it to be anything but poison to him. He knew if he had been shot as a wolf he would have been in twice as much agony. The thought made him shudder.

Reno tossed aside bits of brick and mortar, heaving chunk after chunk of debris over his shoulder as he raced to expose the parasitic piece of flesh that he knew waited below. He didn't dare assume that he might be uncovering a survivor of the horrid attack; he couldn't think that there was a gruesomely distorted yet still living human dying beneath his feet. His mind was too full of the blood and horror around him and its culprits. His hands were too sticky and warm with Genesis' blood. His ears were ringing too loudly with the horrid din that a crumbling building can create. The blood flaking on his neck was too itchy. Zack's yells of concern as he sprinted for cover from the flying bricks he tossed around him carelessly were cutting into his eardrums too sharply. His senses were on overload, and it was all too much.

Genesis struggled towards Reno, anger raging alongside his pain. Didn't Reno understand the considerable danger they were in? Didn't he see how quickly the clouds were choking the sun? Didn't he feel the warmth leaving his skin? He had to notice the sun losing its hard won moments to shine inch by dangerous inch. He had to see the vampires playing on the edges of the pain-blurred shadows. If his head wasn't so stuffed with sensation he would scream a warning as the shadows near the spot Reno was excavating drew longer, but it took all his energy to walk forward. He had left his gun behind on the roof and he regretted that decision; the heavy weight of a gun in his hands would have been welcomed despite the extra pain it would bring him to carry silver that close.

Reno heaved a chunk of brick over his shoulder and exposed a large pocket beneath the rubble. A hand shot out from its depths and snatched his arm, ripping a fearful scream from his throat as blood stained his sleeve. He snapped his arm back and worked hard to control his fear as blood rushed through his ears. He raised his gun and aimed it into the hole, glad the his pounding heart would deafen the sound of the gunshot.

"R-Reno?"

The voice stopped him cold. His finger halted mid-flex, and his eyes went wide. "R-Rude?"

Rude was his long-time friend, one of his only friends actually, and they had spent many a night sitting in the jailhouse watching prisoners sleep and playing cards. Rude had taught him to cheat at every poker game imaginable and Reno owed Rude the skills he had used to win his cage. Now Rude was lying half-crushed beneath the rubble of the same jailhouse they had spent their working hours in.

Reno crawled into the space he had cleared and held Rude's blood soaked hand gently, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Rude's hand was cold, but his grip was firm. His head had been smashed open by the bricks and rubble, but Rude was still breathing. Every bit of blood had been drained from his body and was sinking into the ground below them, yet Rude's voice still wheezed from his chest. "H-help me!"

Reno didn't need to ask to know what had happened. He quickly pulled his hand away.

Rude winced and squirmed in pain, "P-please, Reno! H-help me!"

Reno shivered and watched as Rude's skull began knitting itself back together with a series of disgustingly wet cracking noises. "How?"

Rude whimpered and reached for Reno's hand, "H-help!"

Reno watched in horror as fangs pierced Rude's lip, biting into his dark and lifeless flesh. A hand clapped onto his shoulder and he gasped in fear, wrapping his arms around his neck, "Don't bite me!"

Genesis rolled his eyes and tried to pull Reno out of the wreckage. "Either shoot him or let him die on his own, Reno."

Reno grabbed his gun as Rude's legs began to stitch together, shaking softly as the gruesome noise of mending flesh and bone squished against his eardrum. "That's the only way?"

Genesis nodded, "Shoot him or let him die slowly. Your choice."

Reno nodded and watched as Rude's eyes began watering with pain, the brown orbs tingeing with red as his legs fixed themselves, only to be broken again by the weight of the ruble pile he was pinned under. He aimed his gun carefully, fixing it over Rude's heart with a frightened whisper, "Bye, Rude."

Rude cried out as his skin began to flake away like ash, the sunlight that had been touching his face for minutes only now beginning to harm him.

Reno closed his eyes and pulled the trigger.

The clouds swarmed over the sun like a cloud of hungry locusts and laughter cut through the air as the shadows enveloped the town entirely, leaving Reno, Genesis, and Zack in the middle of the vampire's playground.

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Author's Note: Yeah, I made a sadness. Don't worry, I'll fix it later!...maybe.

**Sorry it's taken me so long to get this up. I haven't been neglecting you my dear readers, I've just been busy with school, work, forced vacation, and catching people who fall off roofs.**


	7. Chapter 7

Reno's head felt like it would burst. The shot he had fired echoed through his ears as the sound of inhuman laughter cut through him and induced a panic that filled his head to bursting, sapping the strength from his limbs. Strong hands reached under his arms and dragged him out of the hole; he didn't struggle. Reno didn't feel the instinctive need for survival, he only felt fear. Even so, he felt relief when the hands that tugged him out of the laughter filled hole showed that they belonged to his brother.

Zack knelt in front of Reno and shook his shoulders gently; Reno's blank stare unnerved him. His blue eyes were fixated on the hole where Genesis still sat, struggling to move away from the blood-soaked, vampiric corpse. "Reno? Reno, look at me!"

Reno blinked softly and shook his head, cradling it in his hands with a small groan. "Z-Zack….R-Rude…he got bit…Had ta do it! H-had ta!"

Zack shivered and watched his brother cry, pity and fear making him indecisive. He pulled the gun out of Reno's lap and set it to the side, deciding that he was better off if his brother was unarmed. He didn't know exactly what had happened to make Reno shoot his best friend, he just knew that, "It's time to go, Reno. It's not safe here." He would discuss Reno's murder later, now he just wanted to get them out of town and away from the hair-raising laughter. He wanted to be home with Aerith in his arms so that he could pretend that the whole day had never happened.

Reno nodded shakily but didn't move. Zack sighed and heaved him upright, dragging him to the cage with difficulty. Reno tried to shuffle his feet along the blood-strew cobbled street, but he only succeeded in making it harder for Zack to carry him. Zack felt a strong urge to simply lift Reno and carry him to the cage, but he felt that dragging him left him some dignity while carrying him left none. Zack grunted and set Reno on the bottom of the cage, removing all the weapons littering the metal floor. Reno lay where he was placed, blue eyes staring blankly at the cloudy sky and leaking tears slowly. Zack sighed and stowed the weapons in the front of the cage, contemplating whether he should go back for Genesis, or leave him to the mad creature that had suddenly stopped laughing. He was saved from his indecision by a short scream that made him grab a shotgun and run back to the spot, leaving the cage door open and unguarded.

Genesis had been struggling to get out of the hole for awhile; it reeked of vampire and the scent made his stomach churn. Unfortunately for him, the sliver inside his chest reacted strongly to the scent and weakened him further. Fortunately for the laughing, silver-haired vampire sitting on the debris-strewn ledge above him, he was an easy catch. With a small hum the vampire slipped off of the edge of the hole, landing gracefully beside Genesis. "Poor puppy, can't you get up?"

Genesis growled softly and struggled to crawl away from the beast, but his feeble attempts to escape only amused the thing. Silver hair cascaded over his shoulder as the vampire knelt in front of him, cupping his chin in one long-fingered hand. A cherry pink tongue tsked softly between pointed teeth, emerald eyes laughing despite the disappointment and concern weaved into the soft, feminine voice. "My, my, my…You've sprung a leak little wolf. Master won't be pleased about that; he wants you whole. I can fix it though, don't worry."

Genesis shivered as the red-leather jacket he wore was peeled back, "D-don't touch me!"

A small chuckle passed parted pink lips and the vampire tipped his head back gently, "It won't hurt, I can make it better. Master would be angry with me if I didn't try to help you. His precious wolf shouldn't be full of holes."

Genesis gave a short scream of pain as a small, pink tongue pressed into the wound, irritating the ripped flesh further. As quickly as it entered, the tongue left, and Genesis found a small smile twitching onto his face as the vampire recoiled so quickly that its tight-gripped nails left scratches across his chin. The cherub-faced beast coughed and sputtered, silver-tainted blood blistering its delicate lips. A small flash of vindictive joy strengthened Genesis' smile as the vampire tried to cough up what it had already swallowed, its lips beginning to fleck and melt from prolonged contact with his tainted blood.

Genesis felt strong hands grab his arms and lift him out of the hole; relief masking his pain as the vampire was swept from view by his new vantage point. The sky stretched above him, gray, cloud-soaked, and calm. Zack's face swam into view, his features blurry and out of focus. Genesis blinked, trying to clear his vision, but only succeeded in blotting Zack's features further. His voice was weak and raspy and he struggled to flick words off his tongue, "Hurry! Shoot it!"

Zack nodded and pointed the gun into the hole, blinking at the lack of living enemies. "Genesis, Rude is already dead…"

Genesis shivered and sat up weakly, head spinning from the effort. "Not Rude!"

Zack blinked and looked at Genesis curiously. "What then? What the hell else is-" His question was cut short by a set of hands grabbing him and tilting his head back roughly. He screamed in fear as two wet points connected with his neck, preparing to cut his throbbing veins open; his heart pounded faster as he prepared for the pain. A gunshot cracked the air and the world exploded in sound and blood around him, the bullet burning the edge of his ear as it smashed open the face of the vampire behind him. The hands holding him recoiled quickly, scratching into his skin, and he staggered forward, the side of his neck and face coated in sickeningly warm blood. He stumbled and landed on his knees beside Genesis, head spinning with fear and pain as he tried to comprehend what had happened.

Genesis lay back in the dirt, a sigh of relief echoing down his throat as the silver-vampire darted away, its face a bloody mess that lacked discernable features. His entire body pounded with feverish pain and he growled softly as a pixie-ish face hovered above him. "Damn it Tseng, why did you have to shoot him?"

Tseng blinked and checked Zack's neck, his actions gentle to keep the shocked man calm. "He was trying to eat the boy?"

Yuffie rolled her eyes huffily, "Not Yazoo, Genesis!"

Tseng shrugged and lifted Zack to his feet gently, "He was trying to shoot us, remember? He brought it on himself."

Genesis growled softly as Yuffie lifted him easily, "How do you know my name?"

Yuffie shrugged and carried his limp form to the cage, nose wrinkling in distaste, "Vampires do listen you know. We may not technically be alive, but we aren't deaf, dumb, or blind."

Genesis shivered as she laid him beside Reno, the cold floor of the cage numbing some of his feverish pain. "What do you want?"

Yuffie shrugged and shut the door of the cage, "We just wanted to keep Yazoo form recruiting."

"Recruiting?" Genesis blinked softly, the fog in his vision slowly fading to darkness as pain forced him into slumber.

Tseng sighed and lifted Zack into the driver's seat of the cage. "Stay put." Zack nodded numbly and shivered, wiping the blood from his face with a trauma-shaken hand. Tseng let loose another sigh and walked back to the hole Reno had made in the debris he had made when Yazoo had flung him into buildings like a rag-doll. Yuffie was already leaning over Rude, checking him for signs of life and death simultaneously. "Did he hit his heart?"

Yuffie shook her head and hefted the debris off of Rude's crushed legs. "No, he missed it by a few inches. Hit a lung. Good thing we don't need to breathe."

Tseng squatted down by Rude, inspecting the newly fledged vampire for himself. "He should have kept his eyes open while he shot."

Yuffie squatted next to him and began turning out the man's pockets out of habit. Tseng slapped her hands and she recoiled, blushing softly. "Master can fix him, right?"

Tseng nodded and lifted Rude's large form over his shoulder easily. "Of course. Master can fix anything." He jumped out of the hole easily and Yuffie followed noiselessly. "I'll get him to Master, you make sure those three get home and try to fix them up if you can. No biting."

Yuffie frowned and stuck her hands on her hips defiantly. "I won't bite them! That's soooo gross!"

Tseng chuckled and took off, Rude's legs mending with sickening cracks by his ear.

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Author's Note: See? I brought Rude back! Sadness over!


	8. Chapter 8

Reno stared out the window in silence and watched the sun set, listening to Genesis swear angrily as Aerith changed the bandages over his slowly healing wound. Genesis' swearing was a sure sign that he was getting better, a few days ago and he had barely made a sound when Aerith had ripped the silver bullet from his clammy, blood soaked flesh and had cleansed the silver poisoned tissues with scalding water. Genesis hadn't even moved, had only whimpered in pain. He had even let Reno hold his hand for comfort. Now Genesis was swearing like a sailor, a sure sign that the worst of the pain was over, and he refused to allow anyone into the room but Aerith during his wound treatment, and letting Aerith in wasn't something he had relented to easily.

As Genesis' angry yells subsided, Reno felt warm eyes fixate on his back. He gripped the bandages covering his chest, the wounds Genesis' other half had given him had ripped open during the many roof-leaps and the extensive amount of digging and lifting he had done while trying to free Rude, and turned to face the eyes. "Whatcha want, Yuffie?"

The small vampire skipped over, less inclined to hide in the room Zack and Aerith had provided for her now that the sun was down, and sat in the plush fabric chair he had been ignoring for the past few hours. He hadn't wanted to sit down for awhile now; he was still highly paranoid after what had happened and was always ready to bolt if he had to. "To watch the moon come out."

Reno kept one hand over his aching chest and one hand over his pocket; he had come to realize what a capable thief Yuffie was after she had decided to pilfer most of his pocket money and the few cubes of sugar he had been planning to give to Bethany. All that his pocket held now was the small wooden carving Genesis had made and he was determined to keep it for himself. "Why?"

Yuffie smiled and propped her elbows on the windowsill, holding her face gently, "Because Tseng will come back by moonlight."

Reno blinked and looked out the window with her, "So you're watching for Tseng?"

Yuffie nodded and gazed out the window, switching her gaze between the path leading up to the house and the half-full moon overhead. "Uh-huh!"

Reno smiled softly and watched with her, listening to Zack and Genesis argue loudly. Zack and Genesis always argued after Aerith changed Genesis' bandages; Zack was always angry that Genesis had yelled at Aerith when she had been trying to help him, and Genesis was always angry that Zack wouldn't stop yelling. The yelling had entertained Reno at first, but now it just made him want to slap the shit out of both men.

Reno watched the moon rise, shivering softly as Genesis' screams suddenly stopped. Reno knew he was watching the moon too, trying to calculate how much longer he had before the change overtook his senses. The moon was waning, and Reno found he was glad that it was; he wasn't sure he would be able to handle another change so soon. "How much longer until the moon is full again, Yuffie?"  
Yuffie sighed softly and looked at the moon, "A day less than what I told you yesterday."

Reno smiled softly. "You didn't roll back time like I asked?"

Yuffie shrugged, "Nope. Didn't feel like it." She gazed t the moon dreamily, hatred and awe combating for dominance in her eyes.

Reno looked at it with her. "What's it like to be immortal, Yuffie?" It was an odd question, one he had avoided asking about for fear that she might decide to gift him with one so he could experience it for himself, but it had been itching at his tongue and he had to ask it.

Yuffie laughed and smiled at him, "I'm not immortal, Reno, I've just got an extended life."

Reno raised an eyebrow at Yuffie. "What do you mean extended life? I thought vampires were immortal?"

Yuffie smiled and shook her head, "No, no vampire is immortal. We may live hundreds of thousands of years, but eventually someone will kill us. No creature but a god can have eternal life."

Reno blinked and stuck his hand in his pocket, rubbing the carving that had become his personal worry stone, "So the whole idea of eternal life is a bit of a lie?"

A voice sounded behind them and they jumped in surprise. "It is a lie, but only for anything that was originally a mortal. Who knows, someday the gods may die as well."

Yuffie turned with a happy smile and launched from her seat, grabbing Tseng around the waist before Reno could see her move to do so. "Tseng!"

Tseng, surprisingly, allowed her to accost his middle with hugs. He looked at Reno and sighed softly, "How is Genesis?"

Reno shrugged, "He's definitely been better, but he's been worse too. He's still not fully healed, but he's getting there."

Tseng nodded and ignored Yuffie's cuddles, "That's good. Rude is almost fully cured. Once the master has finished reversing the vampirism he will send him home with no memory of what happened to him. It's one of the side-effects of the cure."

Reno blinked and watched Yuffie cuddle Tseng like he was a large doll, "So he'll be fine, one-hundred percent human?"

Tseng nodded and set a hand on Yuffie's back, petting her gently as she crushed the air from his breath-less lungs. "Yes, he will be fully human. It would be best if you didn't try to speak with him about what happened though, because remembering would break him. You don't understand how horrifying the change is for the unwilling."

Reno shivered and held his swollen chest. "I can imagine."

Tseng nodded, "So we are agreed? You won't speak of this to Rude?"

Reno nodded and examined his bandages, wincing slightly as he prodded tender spots. "Yeah, I won't say anything."

Tseng pried Yuffie off him with difficulty and walked to Reno, checking his bandages carefully. "This injury was caused by Genesis while he was turned, yes?"

Reno nodded and let Tseng examine him, wincing as cold, bloodless fingers prodded him gently. "Yeah, he scratched me while he was all wolfy."

Tseng frowned softly and pulled away; an action that Reno was grateful for. "Has anyone told him about Rude being cured yet?"

Yuffie shook her head and latched herself back onto Tseng, hugging him tightly. "Nope! I told Reno and his family, but I didn't tell Genesis and I won't let them tell Genesis either. I knew you would want to explain it to him."

Tseng nodded and patted her back gently. "Thank you, Yuffie. I would like to explain it to him myself. Oh, and Vincent sends you his regards."

Yuffie giggled and nuzzled Tseng happily. "He's so silly. When you go back, send him my regards too."

Tseng nodded and pried her off again, this time meeting less resistance than the last. He nodded at Reno, "Ignore any yelling. Genesis will most likely be angered by the news," and left the room so fast that his words were still hanging in the air when Reno realized he was gone.

Reno rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands and addressed Yuffie. "Does he always move so fast?"

Yuffie giggled and sat herself back in the chair by the window. "He usually moves faster. He was trying to slow himself down for your benefit."

Reno blinked and stood by Yuffie, hand in his pocket again. "Do all vampires move that fast?"

Yuffie shook her head, "No, only some of us. Vincent, Tseng, and I are the fastest in our clan. Yazoo is the fastest in the other clan. That's not counting the Masters, of course. Master could probably circle the globe and be back in his chair reading before I had time to leave the front door, and the other Master is even faster than mine!"

Reno rubbed his forehead. "Wait, back up, you have two Masters?"

Yuffie shook her head. "No, I only have one Master. There are two clans, and each clan has its own Master." Zack and Aerith ran past as Genesis began shouting again, darting glances at Reno and Yuffie before hurrying off to their room. Yuffie giggled and pulled her legs up into the chair. "They're so scared of vampires that it's kind of flattering."

Reno decided to ignore his fearful family in favor of continuing his barrage of questions. "So what's the difference between the clans?"

Yuffie's face darkened at that question and for a moment Reno thought she wouldn't answer, but when she opened her mouth it was not to scold him for inappropriate questions. "The way we feed. They survive on blood and blood alone. We soak up the emotions of the beings around us for energy. Sure, every now and again we crave blood, but we always drink from an animal, never a human."

Reno sighed in relief at that, he had been afraid to sleep for fear that Yuffie or Tseng would drain him dry while he slept. "So have you been feeding off of us?"  
Yuffie nodded hesitantly. "Yes. Sorry I didn't ask first, but it's a force of habit to simply absorb the energy. It keeps the blood cravings down."

Reno nodded and leaned against the wall, wincing softly as the wound on his chest gave a painful throb. "So why not drink from humans? I mean, I'm pretty happy that you don't, but it's kinda confusing."

Yuffie wrinkled her nose. "We don't drink from humans because we used to _be_ human. It feels cannibalistic. The other clan doesn't see it that way, though. They think they're above humans; and in a way we vampires are, but they think that gives them the right to devour them."

"They're sick." Reno jumped as Tseng noiselessly appeared beside them. "They consider themselves something akin to a god because of their lifespan, despite the quickly diminishing numbers of their clan. We've killed off all but three of their clan, and still they think they're immortal."

Reno shyly edged away from Tseng as Yuffie sprung from her chair and hugged him again, still afraid despite the knowledge that they wouldn't eat him. "How's Genesis?"

Tseng sighed and sat in Yuffie's chair, not seeming to care that she had herself firmly latched onto him. "He's angry. I suggest you try to calm him down before his violent temper tantrum undoes all the work your sister-in-law has done."

Reno nodded and darted away as fast as his throbbing chest would allow, unsure what effect his presence would have on Genesis' boiling temper. It was worth an attempt, but one attempt was all he would give. He didn't need any more injuries.

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Author's Note: Wheeeee more storyline! Sorry it keeps taking me so long to shuck out chapters, but it has been a hectic month for me. Finals, work, and a new puppy have kept me from my writing. I'm sick now, however, so I should be able to update all my stories! Thanks to everyone who waited for this update, patiently or impatiently doesn't matter. ^^


	9. Chapter 9

Reno thought that Genesis took the news fairly well. Despite the broken state of everything that wasn't nailed down the red-head seemed fairly calm. The teal wallpaper was torn in places, there were several brown stains of dried blood on the once pristine white carpet, and splinters of an oak armchair and feathers from a torn pillow were scattered everywhere. He was sitting on the bed, one of the few unbroken things in the room, with his head held between his hands. He peered through his fingers at Reno's feet as he entered the room, his shoulders tense and unwelcoming.

Reno sighed and maneuvered through the wreckage towards the bed, sitting beside Genesis and setting a wary hand on his uninjured shoulder. "You okay?"

Genesis shook his head, his shoulder tensing tighter under Reno's hand. "No. Why would I be okay?"

Reno frowned and tugged at Genesis' hands, trying to get a good look at his face. "Because this is good news?"

Genesis growled and shoved him back, pinning him to the bed angrily. His eyes were full of fire caused by pain and anger. He squeezed Reno's wrists tightly as he spoke, "You realize this means that they are choosing to be vampires, right? They could have cured themselves eons ago, but they decided to stay blood-sucking parasites! If that vampire had cured himself I wouldn't have gotten shot!"

Reno blinked at the tear streaks drawn down Genesis' cheeks, staring at them without meaning too as he answered. "If they have a cure for themselves, maybe they'll have a cure for you?"

Genesis growled and wiped at his eyes, trying to force back tears that had already flowed out. "I asked already. Apparently they don't have any werewolf blood to draw a cure from. He said I have to go to them and play guinea pig if I really want to be cured."

Reno frowned and pulled himself out from under Genesis as the man released his arms to scrub at his face. He held his chest, adding pressure to try and stifle the throbbing. "Then let them try to fix you. It's that or you spend all of forever this way. Your choice, really."

Genesis growled and glared at Reno, eyes red and burning. "I don't consider it a choice. I can't live like this, not for eternity. I'll go mad."

"You haven't already?" Reno joked, grinning cheekily.

Genesis rolled his eyes and rubbed his shoulder, his gaze loosing most of its anger. "I'm not sure; sanity is a debatable subject for anyone."

"Then I'll go pack. We can leave tomorrow." Reno rolled off the bed and blew out the oil lamp on the windowsill; there had been two oil lamps but one was smashed open on the floor.

Genesis blinked at him as the room went dark save the light of the rising moon. "What do you mean, we?"

Reno rolled his eyes and navigated through the wreckage to the door, yelping with each splinter that slipped through the skin of his feet; he would remember to wear shoes the next time he visited Genesis' room. He didn't answer until he got to the door, pulling it open and leaning against the frame as he tried to pry out the splinters between his toes. "I'm going too, dummy. Did you think I was going to let you go on your own?"

Genesis growled angrily, "Of course I did! You can't go with me! What happens when I attack you again?"

"I'll put you in the cage each night you're supposed to turn so that you can't attack me." Reno twisted a tiny splinter out of his foot and tossed it to the floor. "If I don't get you into the cage in time, I'll get in the cage. You can't break through the bars so I'll be reasonably safe so long as I stay out of arms reach."

Genesis frowned and watched Reno remove the splinters, feeling a small pang of regret under his anger. He shouldn't have thrown such a childish tantrum; he was far too old to be acting like a petulant child who was denied his every whim. "And if you can't stay out of arms reach?"

"Then I shoot you." Reno reiterated himself after seeing the look on Genesis' face. "I won't shoot to kill, but a couple shots in the arms and legs should keep you at bay for awhile. You'll heal up so everything will be right as rain by morning."

Genesis frowned and scratched his chin. As much as he didn't like the idea of getting shot, Reno's plan had merit. Traveling alone posed risks that traveling with a companion would eliminate. If Reno could keep him contained he wouldn't have to worry about attacking someone and if one of them slept while the other drove then they could cut the journey in half. He couldn't find many reasons to say no once he considered the pros of traveling together. Genesis sighed and shook his head, dismissing Reno with a flick of his hand. "Go pack. See if one of those parasites has a map so we know where the hell we're going."

Reno removed the last splinter and slammed the door shut, grinning cockily as he raced downstairs. He had to stop a few times as his chest began throbbing with pain from the force of the blows his heart gave it, but he made it downstairs. Tseng and Yuffie looked up at him, not bothering to hide the fact that Yuffie had practically attacked the taller man with affection. Reno fought the urge to laugh at Tseng's somewhat disheveled state, not expecting the man to allow so much aggressive contact from the smaller female. "We need a map if we're going to go to your hiding spot. Neither of us knows where it is."

Tseng nodded and stood, pulling Yuffie out of his lap and onto her feet. "Do you have a piece of paper?"

Reno nodded and ran to Zack's study, snatching writing utensils and paper. He decided against grabbing Zack's favorite pen, instead choosing the one he normally used when he bothered with writing, which he didn't do often. He ran back, handing Tseng the pen, ink, and paper and sitting down as his chest started throbbing harder in punishment for disobeying Aerith's orders for rest and relaxation.

Tseng took the paper and smoothed it out on the small table in the room. Yuffie hugged and cuddled his back as he began drawing, the affection not bothering him in the slightest. He scratched out a detailed map on the aggravatingly small piece of paper. If he had less practice with cartography he would have made a mess of the map, instead he managed to eek out a smaller, scale version of one of the large maps in Master's study, adding his own lines of direction so that the red-heads would know where to go. "Let it dry before folding it. I'm not drawing you another."

Reno nodded and decided to let the ink sodden paper stay where it was. "I won't. How long should the trip take?"

Tseng shrugged, the motion throwing Yuffie's gentle pets out of rhythm. "That depends on how fast you go and if you get lost. Just try not to stray too far from the path I drew here."

Reno nodded and started scratching down a mental list of what they'd need for the trip. "Stay on the path, got it."

Tseng wiped extra ink from his fingertips, ignoring the bone crushing hug the arms wrapped around his front were giving him. "We may check on you from time to time to make sure you're alright. We can't travel with you, however. Sunlight is bad for the skin." Tseng chuckled at his own joke and gave Yuffie's hands a small prod as his spine gave a few cracks of protest.

Reno laughed and stood, stretching gingerly. "Well, I can't argue with that. We'll probably leave in the morning but I don't think Aerith or Zack will mind if you spend the day here. The other vampires will leave them alone once we leave, right? They'll be safe?"

Tseng nodded, straightening his back as Yuffie's hold slackened slightly, "Most likely. They aren't after them; they're after Genesis and yourself. You may want to tell them to take a short trip, however, just to be safe."

Reno nodded and began ascending the stairs. "I'll get them out of the house for a week or so. They need it anyways after all they've been through in the past few days."

"Agreed. Make sure you get rest as well. You've got a long day coming tomorrow. Genesis is likely not the most agreeable traveling companion." Tseng patted Yuffie's hands gently, smiling softly as she pressed her face into his back.

Reno nodded and rushed to his room, pulling out the clothes he thought they would need during their journey. They wouldn't need much, traveling light would be the best option and they wouldn't have many chances to wash their clothing anyways so it would be wise to ruin as few outfits as possible. Reno packed and hummed happily, not sure what would happen over the next few weeks or days or months, but sure that it would be more exciting and enlightening than anything he had ever experienced before. He was scared, he was scared more than he would admit to anyone, but the excitement that lingered beneath that fear and fueled it twisted it into anxiety. He wanted to start off right away and to have everything happen at once, just so he could come back to this moment and try again.

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Author's Note: Wheee new chappie! This AU will start kicking off for real now I hope. So far it's been pretty tame compared to what I want from it. Fasten your seat belts its gonna be a bumpy (ill-timed and grammatically sub-par) ride!


	10. Chapter 10

The dawn bubbled up like pink champagne in a glass that was quickly drained by the cover of clouds that had blown in overnight. The more pink light that the sun poured out; the thicker the clouds seemed to get. The clouds were fat and filled with champagne raindrops that would lose their luscious pink color when they fell to the ground, the bubbles whipped away from them by the winds that blew steadily over the landscape. It was an eerily beautiful sight to see, but a horrible way to start a life-changing journey, Reno thought as he loaded up the cage. He had packed enough gear to keep them going for months; packing light was not Reno's specialty. It didn't help that Aerith and Zack had each added gear they thought would be useful. Reno wasn't sure how Bethany was supposed to cope with the strain of pulling the cage; she was still dealing with the pain of the wound on her flank, but Reno refused to take any other horse. The stallion that had pulled the cage before was offered up by Zack numerous times, but Reno couldn't stand the idea of parting with his precious Bethany for long. Aerith had given him numerous salves and ointments and bandages to use on Bethany and himself and Genesis, so he figured that they would be alright.

Genesis was fussing about with the large sheet of cloth that they would put over the cage in case of the rain. He looked like he was ready to set it on fire. Somehow he had managed to tangle the large cover that Reno had neatly folded and he couldn't find a way to untangle it. He growled and threw his hands up in frustration, regretting the motion as he clasped a hand to his stinging shoulder. "Dammit! Reno, how the hell am I supposed to fix this?"

Reno laughed and gently shoved Genesis out of the way, grabbing the cover and untangling it expertly. "I've got it. Go pack the cage."

Genesis nodded and left Reno to his work, resuming the task of loading the cage. As he arranged the last items inside the metal behemoth, the light went out and he jumped up in surprise. He looked around at the cloth barrier that blocked out the light and quickly went to the cage door, pressing against it to try and force it open. The cloth held it shut and Genesis yelled out irritably. "Reno! Let me out of here!"

Reno blinked in surprise and stopped securing the cloth to the cage, pulling the cloth off so that Genesis could open the door. "Sorry! I usually don't have anyone in their when I put this on. I didn't realize you couldn't open the door."

Genesis shut the door of the cage forcefully and looked at Reno, an eyebrow raised. "How are we supposed to sleep in the cage with the cloth on if we can't get out when we get the cloth on?"

Reno blinked and scratched his head, looking the cloth over. "I have no idea…"

Genesis pulled out his pocket knife and looked at the cloth with a grin. "I've got an idea." He began cutting the cloth, ignoring Reno's angry protests about damaging his property. Reno soon quieted once he understood what he was doing. Genesis stopped cutting once he had placed a door shaped panel in the cloth, stepping back to examine his work. "That should work nicely."

Reno nodded in approval and quickly made his own adjustment to the panel, tying a few of the long, loose ends of fabric left ragged from Genesis' unsuited for the job pocket knife, shutting the 'door' they had made. "Alright, have we got everything?"

Genesis nodded and stowed his knife once more, "Yes. Can we go now?"

Reno nodded and pulled himself into the seat of the cage, they had folded a few old horse blankets to make a mock-cushion for them to sit on. The cage wasn't designed for long distance journeys and they knew that after a few hours of rough wood against their rears would leave them stiff, irritable, and bruised. Genesis pulled himself up to sit beside him and Reno clicked his tongue at Bethany, gently brushing the crop against her uninjured flank to let her know he was ready. She started off at a walk, not seeing any need for haste, and Reno didn't urge her to go any faster.

They had said their goodbyes earlier in the morning, Aerith and Zack had already taken their carriage and headed off to visit the estate the family kept in Junon. Reno hoped Tseng had been correct when he said they would be safe from the vampires after himself and Genesis.

Their first few hours of travel were uneventful and uninterrupted; they simply sat in quiet and stewed in their own thoughts, Reno referring to the map more than once to make sure he hadn't taken any misleading turns. Bethany didn't seem to be showing any signs of difficulty in moving, Aerith had done an exemplary job in healing his precious horse. Once the rain started falling thick and fast from the dark sky overhead Reno and Genesis sought cover; neither red-head wanted to spend more time exposed to the elements than they had to and it was agreed that the first Inn they saw would be the Inn they stayed in.

Reno wasn't sure what the name of the town where they stopped for the night was, it had taken hours to find it and both of them were soaked to the bone, shivering, and irritable once they stumbled into the stable next to the Inn. Reno let Genesis examine their gear for water damage while he looked after Bethany, drying her shaking sides and legs with one of the saddle blankets that had been kept dry by virtue of being under all the others. A skittish stable boy offered to help, but Reno refused the kindness, instead asking the boy to check if there were any rooms open. Bethany butted her nose against his chest gently in thanks once he finished and he gave her velvety nose a few gently pats as he waited for Genesis to re-emerge from the cage. The stable boy came back and told him that yes, there was a room open and that the Inn-master would let them rent it for eighty gil and that that would buy them a meal as well. Reno thought the price was a bit high, but when he saw Genesis emerge from the cage, sodden and obviously cross, he decided not to complain about the amount of gil he would have to part with. He knew that most Inn's cost almost half of what the Inn they had stumbled into did, but he was in no position to argue. It was good that he had brought his savings with him or else he and Genesis would be sleeping on the cold, hard floor of the cage and Bethany would be shelter-less. He handed the boy the required gil and watched him dart off, securing their room.

Genesis sighed and ran a hand through his sopping wet hair, trying to wring out the uncomfortable wetness. "Everything is dry; the only water that got in was water from me."

Reno nodded and led Bethany to an empty stall, "Good. We can start again in the morning, tonight we can sleep here."

Genesis sighed in relief, desperately looking forward to a dry bed and warm food. The small lunch of bread, cheese, and dried meat they had eaten had barely left a dent in either of their appetites.

The stable boy quickly returned and led them inside the smoky, nearly empty inn, his step light and nervous. Reno watched the boy and chuckled inwardly, the boy had obviously spent too long around horses. The boy led them to a table in a corner, his eyes darting around so fast Reno was surprised they weren't loose in his sockets. He sat with his back to the wall, wringing his hair out onto the dusty floor. Genesis sat next to him, his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the place skeptically. Reno took the key the boy handed to him and pocketed it, continuing to wring his hair out as the boy left. "What's wrong with you, Genesis? You look like you ate a lemon whole and were too stupid to spit it back out."

Genesis rolled his eyes and looked around. "Is it wrong for me to be cautious?"

Reno shrugged and tried to wring out his clothes, giving up when the only result he achieved was to wrinkle them. "No, but you seem more than cautious. You seem angry. Why?"

Genesis shook his head, "I'm not angry, just worried. What if someone decides to take our things?"  
Reno chuckled and stretched, spine cracking loudly. "No problem, Genesis. I'll just sleep in the cage."

Genesis frowned, "Remember what happened the last time you decided to sleep in stables?"

Reno shivered and nodded, "Yeah, I remember. It's alright though; I'll have a gun on me this time. They hate silver just as much as you do."

"You didn't wake up last time you got a visit from a vampire." Genesis mumbled quietly as the stable boy brought over two plates of food in front of them. The boy seemed to work more than just the stables; he seemed to simply be the person in charge of the grunt work.

Reno looked the boy over as he ignored Genesis' comment, taking in his features for the first time. The boy was young, maybe sixteen, and his chin-length blonde hair fell over his face in a sheet of thin strands. He was thin and skittish, as if he was constantly afraid of a heavy hand crossing his slightly rounded cheeks. The boy had brilliantly blue eyes and Reno found himself nodding in approval as the boy backed away towards the kitchens. Genesis elbowed his side and he yelped, rubbing his side. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"

Genesis snorted, feeling a strange pang of jealousy for the scrawny meatless thing that had brought their food. "You looked like you were going to eat him."

Reno blushed and hastily began stuffing his face, blinking in surprise as he swallowed. "This is really good. I've never tasted anything like it." He hummed happily and ate faster than he could chew, ignoring the boy when he came back to pour them tall glasses of dumbapple wine. He didn't know what he was eating, the meat had a flavor he couldn't place, but it was hot and tender and he ate it ravenously.

Genesis blinked and took a small bite, shrugging and ignoring the meat that Reno seemed intent on inhaling and concentrating on the greens that bordered it. He couldn't name the meat, but he felt he had eaten it before. He, surprisingly, wasn't much of a carnivore anyways so meat usually didn't attract his attention the way it attracted Reno's. Still, he had to admit it was delicious.

Reno licked his fork clean happily, looking at the meat on Genesis' plate longingly. "Wanna trade your meat for my greens?"

Genesis nodded and slipped his meat onto Reno's plate, replacing it with the greens Reno hadn't touched. "Don't eat so fast, you'll choke."

Reno rolled his eyes and kept eating at the pace he had set; Genesis obviously didn't know him very well. He and Zack were both capable of clearing a table of food in under ten minutes and they always had room for dessert.

Genesis kept surveying the room as he ate, doing his best to ignore Reno's display of mannerlessness. Once they had finished the boy returned to clear their plates and Genesis took his turn at staring. He wasn't staring to admire the boy's looks; however, he was scrutinizing his actions. He knew that people weren't born fearful, they were made to be fearful. He didn't know what the boy was afraid of, but he did know that he wanted to find out. He supposed that a bit of poking around that night wouldn't hurt, he could use any information he gathered no matter how useless it was.

Reno drained his glass and handed Genesis the key to the room, "If anything happens you'll know because I'll either start yelling or shooting or both. Either way, if you start hearing loud noises come running."

Genesis nodded and got up, ascending the stairs to the room with no haste. He wanted out of his sodden clothes, but he wanted to observe what he could on the way to comfort. Reno left a few gil on the table and made his way back to the stables, looking forward to a nap in the hay with Bethany. He pulled a gun from the cage before trying to find a comfortable spot in the straw next to Bethany. She seemed to have picked up the stable boy's knack for skittishness, however, and Reno decided to sleep on the other side of the stall to keep from upsetting her. He stripped down to his undergarments, which were relatively dry, and hung his dripping clothes on the tack hooks inside Bethany's stall, heedless to modesty. He doubted anyone would mind what he wore to bed and he lay down in the straw, closing his eyes and waiting for the stable boy or another member of the Inn to blow out the lamps hung around the stables.

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Tseng sat in the empty estate with Yuffie at his side, watching the rain through the foggy window panes in front of them. He had decided that they would stay the night in the home one more night; he didn't enjoy the rain much. Yuffie was pressed into his side as deep as she could press herself and she nipped at his fingertips gently as she kissed his hand. He enjoyed her attention even if he didn't outwardly show it, she knew without him saying or doing anything. Tseng knew that at some point in the night they would no longer be alone; Yazoo would come looking for them once the rain let up enough for him to feel comfortable. Yazoo was too vain to let so much water weigh down his shimmering silver hair.

Yuffie noticed the other presences in the house before he did, leaping to her feet with a small snarl of disgust before the others could enter the room. Tseng stood more slowly, not feeling the need for haste. He had been in conflict with the other clan for enough centuries to know how meetings like this took place. He set a hand on Yuffie's lower back as he face Yazoo and the very stocky vampire beside him. "Yazoo, Loz, what can we do for you?"

Loz stood beside Yazoo, his arms folded square over his chest. "Where are they?"

"Out of your territory by now I suspect." Tseng looked Loz over; he hadn't expected Yazoo to bring him along.

Yazoo hummed and ran a hand through his hair, draining out the wet droplets that soaked it. "The rain held them up, Tseng. We all know the rain held them up. If they're anywhere inside our territory still we will have them by morning. We told our human underlings who to look for and what to do if they found them. We knew days ago that you'd send them to your clan. You offer very little protection for the, Tseng. Do they know that?"

Yuffie snarled and stomped childishly, her short black hair swaying across her face becomingly. "Our clan is strong enough to hold yours at bay!"

Yazoo chuckled softly and squeezed his hair dry, flicking the water on his thick leather gloves at her face insultingly. "You have more members, but all you can do is keep the three of us at bay. How do you call that strength? You have the advantage but you can't use it."

Tseng held fast to Yuffie's shoulder as she made to move forward, positioning himself between the two vampires. "Perhaps we should move this conversation outside, if you aren't afraid of getting damp that is."

Yazoo snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm not afraid of getting wet, I'd just prefer to stay dry."

Loz cracked his knuckles and grinned widely, moving between Tseng and Yazoo with ease. "You can stay inside and take care of the brat, Yazoo. I don't mind playing in the rain."

Tseng frowned and stood straight as a post, not intimidated by the stocky silver vampire. "If you don't mind, I'd prefer we didn't break this house to pieces. It's not ours, you know."

Yazoo nodded and flicked his hair over his shoulder. "Of course, I'd hate to destroy such…_charming_ décor." He sneered and gripped Loz' elbow, pulling him outside. "You take care of them, Loz. I will go find the Master's missing pet and his companion."

Tseng pulled Yuffie outside and led the others to the small orchard that was a good distance from the estate. Yazoo was no sooner outside than he was gone, sprinting away in a blur of silver black raindrops. Loz stayed, cracking his knuckles restlessly as he waited for some unknown signal. Tseng stood and waited, not willing to throw the first punch. Yuffie, however, was not so patient, and with the first crack of thunder she was off, snarling like the wild beast they were all accused of being. Tseng sighed softly and took off after her, hoping for the best as lightning illuminated their struggle by degrees and the crack of splitting trees became undistinguishable from the slams of thunder in the sky.

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Author's Note: Ooooh violence! So you know, this story is about to have a creepy moment that might make some of you extremely upset with me….deal with it, it's what I live for.


	11. Chapter 11

Candlelight flickered under the crack of the door and then faded with the creak of footsteps, each sound magnified by Genesis' straining ears. From the number of people he had counted in the dining room of the Inn he assumed that the footsteps that had just passed belonged to the last patron left awake. Genesis hadn't changed for bed yet; he was still fully dressed and fully aware of his surroundings. His clothes were still damp from the rain and he could feel them wrinkling around him but he paid his discomfort no mind as he re-lit his own candle. He was going to find out what was wrong with the timid, skittish stable boy; no one acted as fearful as he did without a good reason for it. He was about to leave his room when he heard footsteps creaking quietly down the staircase outside it. He stopped, hand over his candle-flame to dim the light, and listened as the unlit passerby made his way down the stairs. It was obvious that whoever it was was very well acquainted with the staircase, no unfamiliar person would have been allowed to walk down the splintery wood unlit without paying for their foolishness with a fall. Genesis waited for the steps to fade and uncovered his candle, shaking his smarting, singed fingers as if he could shake off the heat on them. He would follow whoever it was that was up and see what they were doing awake, this place was getting too odd for his comfort.

Genesis gently opened his door, shutting it as quietly as he could after his feet padded onto the landing. He made his way down the stairs as quietly as he could, inwardly cursing each creak and crack the wood made beneath him. He kept his back pressed against the wall once the stairs deposited him at the main floor of the inn, his eyes scanning the darkness for another person. Seeing no one, he carefully edged along the wall towards the only other light he could see, the one peeking out from under the door leading to what he assumed was the kitchens. He hastily blew out his candle and pressed himself flat against the wall as the door opened and the stable boy exited, shaking and trembling, and a tall, broad shouldered man followed. The man was wearing an unstained apron and he gave the boy a swift kick as he rushed to the stables, his blonde hair seeming to float around his face. The man turned and Genesis kept himself pressed against the wall, wishing he could draw the shadows around him like a cloak. Thankfully the kitchen door fell shut and the man didn't seem to notice him as he made his way towards the stairs, climbing up them without the assistance of light. Genesis frowned, wondering why the man was insistent on walking around in the dark when there were so many candles available for him to use. He would hide in the dining room and wait for the man to return; hoping to finally see what was going on. He no longer cared about the stable boy, the abusive kick he had seen shed light on the boy's fear and took away the mystery behind it.

The lamplights in the stable illuminated Reno as he lay in Bethany's stable, his lengthy red hair tangling into the crisp, dry hay surrounding him. Bethany was pressed against the far side of the stable, leaving him more room than he required. He was comfortable, hence the quick way he had let his eyelids droop, but he was also uneasy. As he started to fall asleep, he tried to piece together a reason for Bethany's upset. Normally she was a very calm, mild horse but tonight she was skittish and uninviting. He supposed the stable boy's attitude played a part in her unease, she was a very empathetic creature and she picked up on the feelings of those around her, but Reno sensed that there was more to her odd behavior. The door leading to the inn was hastily opened and closed and Reno surmised that the stable boy was making his last visit to the horses before going to bed. He didn't think the boy would bother him, Reno wasn't the first person who had decided to sleep in the hay in stead of a bed, but a small part of him hoped he could at least get a few words of conversation from the boy. A few of the lamps were dimmed and darkness crept into the stall around him, making his weariness tax him more heavily. He could hear the boy muttering softly to horses as he checked to see that they were all comfortably fed and bedded, his voice soft and without the trembling quality it had held earlier in the day. Reno noted the change with a small smile, glad the boy was comfortable somewhere.

As the boy peered in to check on Bethany he faltered slightly, cocking his head to the side as he spotted Reno. "I thought you and your friend had gotten a room for the night? Why are you in here?"

Reno smiled softly as he whispered back, "I'm more comfortable out here."

"Me too." The boy smiled weakly and unlocked the stall door. "Do you mind if I sit with you for awhile?"

"Of course not." Reno sat up and ran a hand through his hair, trying to undo the knots caused by the hay.

The boy stepped in and locked the door behind him, kneeling in the straw beside Reno. He looked Reno over carefully, "I thought you would have more tattoos…"

Reno chuckled softly and traced one of the marks under his eyes. "I didn't even want these. A stupid gypsy hag forced them on me."

The boy giggled and held out his hand amiably, "I'm Kadaj, nice to meet you."

Reno smiled and shook the boy's hand, marveling at the softness of his skin. All the stable hands he knew had hands like sandpaper. "Nice to meet you too, Kadaj. I'm Reno." Kadaj blushed softly as Reno let the shake linger on a little longer than was necessary. Reno let go once he saw the color flooding the boy's cheeks. Reno cleared his throat and quickly tried to recover conversation. "Why do you work here, Kadaj? You don't seem like a people person."

"My father owns the Inn so I have to work in it." Kadaj ran a soft had through softer hair, his voice quiet, but not so quiet that Reno couldn't hear the bitter tone he used regarding his father.

"Do you have any other family working here?" Reno raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued by the odd tone Kadaj had used.

Kadaj shook his head, thin strands of fine hair shifting over his face in an eye-catching fashion. Reno's eyes were certainly caught, his distraction keeping him from noticing much else. "My brother went when my mother left so I have to work here all alone with father. I wish I had gone with them, but part of me is glad I didn't."

Reno let his eyes roam Kadaj's face. "Oh? What part of you?"

Kadaj hummed and shifted closer to Reno, letting a hand trail down his arm. "The part that gets to meet you."

Reno shivered and caught Kadaj's hand in his, wondering at the sudden boldness but so easily distracted by the smooth skin that he didn't pay his wondering much mind. He kissed the back of Kadaj's hand gently and smirked at him playfully, his cheeks and other areas heating up with embarrassment and arousal. "That part of me is glad you stayed too."

Kadaj hummed and let his uncaptured hand drift over Reno's shoulder, his deeply blue eyes keeping a hold on Reno's soft green ones. He could hear his father shuffling back into the kitchen with a heavy load and quickly tried to distract Reno so he wouldn't hear as well. "I think I can tell which part of you is glad to see me." He flew his hand down and gripped Reno gently, ears straining for more noises from the kitchen that he would have to cover.

Reno gasped and felt his face flush dark as soft fingers wrapped around his most sensitive area. He couldn't help but let out a low moan as those velvety fingers began sliding up and down his length. "D-damn, you move fast, huh?"

Kadaj hummed and straddled Reno, pulling their faces close together and letting his breath trail over Reno's lips as he heard more shuffling from the kitchen; his father was being noisy tonight. "You have no idea how fast I can move."

Reno moaned again and briefly closed the centimeters deep gap between their lips in a soft kiss, his hands sliding up soft thighs covered by upsettingly unrevealing slacks. "Show me then."

Kadaj hummed and pressed their mouths again together in a heated kiss, not wanting to waste time on exploring. He knew his father would be traversing up and down the stairs all night and he needed to have Reno sufficiently distracted until he could wear him out so he would sleep. His father would be visiting the stables later anyways and if he could have Reno finished and asleep by then he would be happier. No one needed to be awake for his father's visits, not even himself.

Genesis watched as the man hauled a shockingly shaped load into the kitchen, waiting for him to leave again and return to the stairs before he dared inspect anything. He could hear struggling and the sickening sound of gushing fluids and the distinct croak of a death rattle before the man left, his previously pure apron stained a sickly shade of color that made Genesis' mind jump to the worst conclusions. As he heard the tall man ascend the stairs he quietly made his way into the kitchen, his candle left forgotten under the table he had been crouching beneath. What he saw once he opened the door made his stomach churn and his eyes go wide with disgust and fear. Hanging like a butchered pig was one of the patrons, his clothes stripped and his face coated in blood that still poured fresh and hot from a slash in his throat. The blood was dripping off into a small bucket that was already half full and Genesis nearly vomited at the sight. He could see still more blood trailing to a room in the back and he followed the scarlet trail shakily, his stomach churning and his nose burning with the putrid reek of fresh blood. He edged open a partially cracked door with his foot, the handle was streaked with blood and gore and he had no intention of letting his hand touch it. What he saw inside did make him vomit and as he heaved into a nearby bucket he heard the tall man's footsteps returning and fear overtook him. He looked around wildly for somewhere to hide, his heart pounding against his rib cage as the steps rang loudly in his ears. It seemed that the only place he could hide himself was among the partially butchered corpses hanging from the ceiling by their wrists, the blood drained from their body into the buckets that lined the front of the room.

Genesis jumped and grabbed one of the hooks the bodies were hanging from, clinging to it and letting his body dangle like the gaping corpses around him. He shivered in fear and nausea as he mimicked the facial expressions of the bodies around him, staring blankly ahead with his mouth agape. The man brought the body he had just seen into the room, setting the bucket on the floor beside the one he had vomited in. The man didn't seem to notice the chunks floating inside the bucket and Genesis was relieved. The man wordlessly hung the body on a free hook and then walked back out, partially shutting the door behind him. Genesis could hear him hanging the other body he had brought in and shuddered as he heard the sickening sound of the man widening the initial killing gash he had made in the man's throat so the blood would drain out faster. Once the door to the kitchen shut, Genesis let himself drop. His legs nearly folded up beneath him, but he managed to keep himself upright. He pulled away from the corpses in fear, his disgust filled mind registering for the first time what the man was doing with the bodies he had gutted and hung like pigs; he was serving them as entrees. Genesis vomited again at the thought and rushed out of the room before the man could make his way back, kicking over several buckets of thick blood in his wake.

Reno moaned softly into Kadaj's mouth as he pressed the boy against the straw, lust dulling some of his senses as it awakened others. Kadaj was pressed against him and had his hands tangled into his hair as he pulled Reno closer to him. Reno had the distinct feeling that he was in heaven, but the glorious notion crashed around his ears as the door to the inn was flung open. He quickly pulled away from Kadaj and grabbed his pants, tugging them on as fast as he could; the boy's father would probably kill him if he caught them in the state they were in now. Bethany, who had been shifting restlessly the entire night, stood and reared, her nostrils flaring and her eyes wide.

Kadaj rolled away from her stomping feet and threw himself out the door of the stall, yelling as he went, "NO! NO FATHER THIS IS ONE WE WERE TOLD TO-" He was cut off as Genesis clocked him in the jaw, his small frame slapping against the wood of the stall as the force of the blow threw him backwards.

Reno tugged on his clothes as fast as he could, slamming the stall door shut behind him as Bethany tried to escape. He turned and picked Kadaj up off the floor, blinking at Genesis in shock. "What the hell are you doing!"

"I'm saving our skins! Leave the boy; he's not coming with us." Genesis threw the cage door open and grabbed the closest weapon to him, panicking as he heard heavy footsteps outside the door. The man would be back with his most recent victim soon and he intended to end the gruesome work before it could start.

Reno frowned, still holding Kadaj loosely in his arms. The boy was blinking furiously and holding his head as a large lump swelled on his chin, Genesis' knuckles clearly outlined in the purpling spot. "Genesis, what's going on? What are you talking about?"

The footsteps grew louder and Genesis made sure the gun was loaded before turning around. "You know that steak you liked so much but we couldn't figure out what kind of meat it was?" Reno nodded and Kadaj paled, squirming out of Reno's grasp. Genesis pointed the gun at Kadaj and whispered. "You know what your father's been doing, don't you? You knew the whole time. You were going to let him chop us up and serve us on tomorrow's dinner platter."

Kadaj hid behind Reno, eyes locked on the barrel of the gun. "Yeah, I knew. It's either you get minced or I do. I'd rather it be you."

Genesis would have fired on Kadaj if the door hadn't been flung open by the grisly butcher, his blood streaked hands and hair and face and clothes drawing Genesis' attention. Genesis fired on the man without hesitation, hitting him twice in the chest with the heavy rounds the gun held. The man doubled over and Kadaj screamed, too afraid of Genesis and his gun to assist his dying father. Genesis reloaded and shot several more times, his eyes stony and cold.

Reno had no clue what was going on, his mind hadn't put the pieces together yet. He covered his ears and edged around the room to Genesis, leaving Kadaj to fend for himself. From what he had pieced together, Kadaj was an assistant to a terrible crime that could have cost him and Genesis their lives and he was relieved that he hadn't slept with the boy. He pulled the gun from Genesis' hands as the red-head started reloading for the sixth time, setting a calming hand on his shoulder. "Genesis, he's dead. Stop trying to re-kill him you're just wasting bullets."

Genesis shook violently and stared at Reno, not attempting to reclaim his gun. "Reno…He's been killing the people who stay here. He's been butchering them like hogs. He fed them to us tonight, and we thought they were delicious."

Reno vomited without warning on the straw strewn floor, his stomach trying to heave up everything he had ever eaten as Genesis' words threw the puzzle together in his mind. He fell to his hands and knees; dry heaving violently once his stomach had emptied itself. He wasn't sure he would ever stop vomiting, but calming hands on his back helped him regain control over his twisting, knotting stomach. Genesis pulled him to his feet and set him in the seat of the cage. Reno looked around for Kadaj, but the boy had fled. He supposed they could potentially follow him, but he didn't want to do so.

Genesis set a hand on Reno's shoulder. "Let's get the hell out of here." Reno nodded in agreement, but didn't move. He was too paralyzed by fear to even consider movement, so Genesis picked him up and set him on the seat of the cage. He then quietly calmed Bethany and hooked her to the cage, letting her munch a few sugar cubes he found in a nearby bucket. He locked the cage and tied the cloth flap shut quickly, his movements mechanical and un-thought. Reno didn't make a sound as Genesis climbed into the seat beside him, his arms wrapped tightly around his stomach and his eyes wide with fear as he shook violently. Genesis prodded Bethany out of the stables and into the rain filled night, determined to put the place behind them as fast as possible.

Genesis felt strangely tranquil, as if his mind had shut down all areas of comprehension and emotion to save him from insanity. He had felt numbly calm like this only once before; it was after his first change, the morning where he had realized that he had spent the night snacking on innocent people whose lives he had cut drastically short. That morning he had been the guilty one, tonight he felt like the victim. He could tell he was shaking with cold that he couldn't feel and fear he was glad to ignore. Reno was shivering beside him, his eyes wide and focused blankly in front of him. Genesis let Bethany run where she willed, only keeping a hand on the reins so he could keep her from dashing into overflowed rivers and streams. He pulled Reno's shivering form close and draped a damp saddle blanket over their heads, moving mechanically to preserve their body heat and keep them from feeling the sobering chill of the cold. Once they were under a thick layer of the blankets Genesis felt safer, his fragmented thoughts slowly arranging into something that could be processed. As Bethany ran without direction, he realized that he should've kept track of where they were going. There was no way they would be able to follow the map Tseng had drawn out for them now. He wasn't even sure he wanted to; he just knew that he wanted as far away from the cannibalistic inn as possible.

Yazoo entered the open barn doors, wringing his hair dry as lightning poured his shadow across the straw-strewn floor. "Ugh, it's so disgusting out tonight. I can't even see the moon." He blinked as the scent of blood drifted into his nostrils and distracted him from his grooming, his hands stopping in the middle of wringing his hair. He wiped his wet gloves off onto his coat and walked farther into the stables, crushing the locks on stall doors as he went. He watched the frightened horses crash through the stall doors and run into the night, knowing that the owner of the inn would be angry with him over the damage. Yazoo didn't care though, the owner knew better than to openly express his anger with him. Yazoo followed a trial of blood into the dining room of the inn; curious as to what it belonged to. It had better not be his quarry; he would start snapping necks if all of the searching he had done was ruined by a country hick eager to kill. He was pleasantly surprised, however, once he entered the kitchen. "Kadaj? Where is your father?"

Kadaj looked up, bloody knife in hand as he made the gash in the last tenants throat wider. His pale face was emotionless as he awkwardly dug the knife into the corpse in front of him to try and release as much blood as possible into the half-filled bucket below it. "He's dead. Those guys you told us to look for killed him."

Yazoo clucked his tongue disapprovingly and walked forward, a damp gloved hand reaching out to stroke Kadaj's blood stained hair. He noticed the dark bruise swelling across the boy's jaw and frowned. "They hurt you too?"

Kadaj nodded and dropped the knife in frustration as he failed to get more blood out of the mangled corpse. "Yeah, the not-tattooed one hit me and then killed father. I'm trying to finish the job for you, but we won't have as many buckets as we promised. Somebody lost their lunch in one of them and then kicked a bunch over."

Yazoo shrugged and peeled off one of his gloves, running his freed hand through Kadaj's hair. "Don't worry, dear Kadaj, Master won't be upset with you over your father's failure. This night is a blessing for you. Now that your father is gone there's no one to keep you from coming with me."

Kadaj looked up at Yazoo with a brilliantly happy smile, ignoring the pain smiling caused the lump on his chin. "You mean you'll turn me now?"

"It's a long process to become a vampire like me, Kadaj. It's not just a simple bite; you have to fully absorb the gift the Icekeeper sent us from her glorious moon. You are being granted the opportunity to rise above the unfortunate condition of humanity you are plagued with; are you prepared to deal with the pain and dedication it takes to become as strong as we are?" Yazoo ran his fingers over Kadaj's chin lightly, avoiding the obviously painful purple mark.

Kadaj nodded eagerly, gazing at Yazoo with adoration. "Yes! I'll do anything you ask of me!"

Yazoo smiled and dragged a pointed fang over his wrist, pressing the thinly bleeding spot against Kadaj's lips. "Then drink, my pet."

Kadaj obeyed immediately, his soft pink lips wrapping around Yazoo's wrist as he pulled blood from his wrist. Yazoo watched him, a lazy hand slipping through thin blonde hair. Master would reward him with praise once he brought the overly willing boy home, and Yazoo couldn't wait for what other rewards he might get from the boy himself.

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**Author's Note: This was a long one, eh? I've been working on it for a week and I'm hoping you guys like it despite the nasty, gory, uck-ness.**


	12. Chapter 12

Genesis watched the sunrise, sighing softly as he patted Bethany's heaving sides. The sun poured red and hot over the thinning clouds, forcing them to flee in order to retain what water was left in them. Each dazzling ray of light that shot through the sky illuminated the soggy, abused landscape below; it was as if the sun was angry that the waters of Leviathan had whipped and scarred erosive abrasions into the land it gazed upon. The Flamekeeper's sun had a lot of work to do, Genesis felt sure that the water had sunk so deeply into the earth that the mud would be eternal. As the sun burned away the clouds it revealed a luxuriously rich blue that stretched from horizon to horizon, sewn to the mountaintops and hills. Genesis stared into the sky, it's brilliant blue hue forever reflected in the color of his eyes.

Reno was busily picking clean Bethany's hooves, beginning to repair the damage done the night before. Bethany had run wild through brambles and thorn's, scratching her powerful legs and sides until lines of blood had been drawn. Genesis hadn't been able to bring himself to speak yet, his lips were still locked together and there were no signs that he would be able to force them apart anytime soon. Reno was in a very similar state; he moved mechanically and seemed to reject the warmth that the spreading light of the sun pushed through the rain-thick air around them. It was as if the air itself was waterlogged, Genesis could feel it seeping into his skin even as he dried. The sun rose higher and Bethany turned her head toward it, delighting in the warmth that ran over her sodden hide. Genesis wished he could take as much pleasure in the light that covered him, but he could only focus on what it revealed. He was stained with the blood of those dangling corpses he had had to imitate, the corpses that had been used to make a feeding trough for vampires who knew no remorse or shame. People used to fatten beings who felt no loss when life was snuffed out for them. The ticking clock of the world ran on despite these deaths and the vampires that rotated freely through the gears felt nothing when a few very small screws fell out of the clocks face. Genesis peeled his coat off and tossed it onto the mud, glad that his boots were caked with enough mud to hide the blood he knew he had accidentally kicked onto them the night before. His mouth still tasted like the sick he had left in the buckets. It was a dry, stale taste that made him desperate for a drink of clean water that he didn't have the drive to fetch for himself.

Reno picked mud out of Bethany's hooves gently, his hands steady despite the shake in his shoulders. He couldn't find his voice to ask Genesis if he was alright, he could barely find any rational thoughts. He kept wondering and posing questions to himself that began with, 'what if'. Questions like; what if Genesis had fallen asleep? What if Genesis hadn't shot the innkeeper? What if he and Kadaj had actually had sex? What if those silver vampires had shown up? Reno had no doubt in his mind now that Kadaj and his father had been in league with the silver vampires that had made themselves his enemy. It was now an undeniable fact; what other reason could there be to harvest people's blood? Perhaps Kadaj's father was just a sick sociopath, which would explain why he served human meat as an entrée, but if that was the case, then why hadn't anyone stopped him? The townspeople had to know that he killed his tenants, why didn't they arrest him? Maybe they had tried and failed and maybe they were just scared of him, but there was the more likely idea that the entire town was afraid of the silver-headed vampires who would otherwise use them as fodder to fill their faces. The man was killing people he didn't know to save the ones he did and that made Reno sympathize with him, at least until he remembered that had it not been for Genesis, he would have been on the menu.

Genesis patted Bethany's nose as Reno wiped the blood off her legs, doing his best to stop thinking. He tried to focus on the sunshine, letting it spill over him, but it could not engulf his spirits the way its gentle warmth normally would. He was too badly shaken for that. His only consolation was that, even though they were lost, they were away from the hellish Inn. They had until nightfall to find a safe haven where they wouldn't be bothered by vampires roaming loose. Suddenly, an idea struck him that was so powerful it unlocked his lips and gave his voice the strength to be heard over the solitude surrounding them. "Reno, do you still have the map?"

Reno paled and searched through his pockets, despair crushing him when he found the soaked and tattered remains of the paper that had been their hope at escape. He peeled it out of his pocket carefully and fought tears as he examined it. "The rain must have soaked through my shirt pocket. The ink is probably washed off and if I try to open it now, I'll rip it."

Genesis felt his soul seize up as he looked at the piece of paper, realizing how hopeless they were without it to guide them. "Lay it on a rock to dry. Maybe the ink didn't bleed off entirely? There might be some left."

Reno nodded and set the map on a flat rock near the swelled river they had stopped beside, his feet squelching through the mud with a sickening sinking sensation that dampened his hopes further. "Yeah, maybe. It won't be much good now anyways. We don't know where we are."

Genesis brushed his fingers over Bethany's nose gently. "Sorry I didn't keep better track of where we were headed."

Reno shook his head, brushing the apology aside. "It's not your fault. I didn't keep track either. We're both to blame."

Genesis smiled weakly and looked around at the soggy ground around them. "I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. I think we're safe during the day."

Reno nodded, eyes itching with sleepiness. "Yeah, maybe we should sleep during the day and travel at night?"

"That would be best. We need to be prepared to run at night until we can find safety. Hopefully the map isn't ruined. I'd like to know which direction to run in." Genesis stretched, his spine cracking and popping into place.

Reno nodded, looking at the soggy piece of paper on the rock. "I hope so too. I don't want to be lost. Tseng said he would only give us one map. If we ruined it we're screwed."

"Don't think about that right now. We need to rest and recover from last night's ordeal." Genesis pulled open the door flap of the cage and stepped inside, fishing through their supplies for sleeping bags. He supposed changing into clean clothes would do them some good, but first he wanted to make sure they could comfortably sleep. Reno unhitched Bethany from the cage and tied her to a nearby tree, giving her enough lead so that she could graze and drink while they slept. Genesis could hardly wait to fall asleep and retreat to the confines of his mind; hopefully the light of the sun would chase away the dark nightmares he could feel clawing at the corners of his tired eyes between each blink.


	13. Chapter 13

Reno urged Bethany forward and away from their campsite as the sun slipped below the horizon to his left, seeking a respite from the work it had done during the day. Genesis sat next to him on the driver's bench of the cage, his forehead resting on the lantern post he held. The lantern swung from the end of the post, its flame cast a dim and flickering light over the path in front of Bethany's white-tipped nose. Reno held the reigns tightly, his back slumped and his eyes sinking into the soft, dark bags beneath them. Genesis was dozing against the lantern post, his face shadowed and handsome as the dying light of the sun withdrew from his lightly tanned skin. Reno was glad Genesis was nearly asleep, he couldn't stand the humiliating thought of being caught looking at him the way he was. He was still embarrassed over the incident with Kadaj that Genesis had witnessed the night before, but thankfully the handsome red-head had made no derogatory comments to him yet. Reno was pleasantly surprised by Genesis' unbigoted reaction to the position he and Kadaj had been discovered in, but he supposed that maybe he had been too scared to say anything then and now he was too tired to make comments or ask questions. Genesis certainly looked like he was worn out; his bright blue eyes had been dull and bloodshot when they had woken to find the sun setting slowly into sluggish slumber so that the moon could cast her pale luminescence over the landscape it had left parched and dry.

Reno didn't feel quite awake yet either; his eyes were having trouble staying open and his mouth kept forcing out thick yawns laced with exhaustion. Neither of them had slept well during the day and both had woken up with nightmares more than once, yet neither of them cared to discuss the terrifying things their minds had thrust forward. They had agreed to take the night in shifts, Reno letting Genesis sleep first while he lead Bethany down a well-worn path that would lead to a nearby town where they would hopefully find out where they were so that they could figure out where they were going.

Every twig crack made Reno's head snap to the side, his eyes peering into the fathomless darkness for the source, even though most of the sounds came from under Bethany's hooves. Genesis didn't seem to be concerned with the sounds, his head lolling to the side slightly as the cage went over a bump in the path. Reno felt that every sound must mean danger and he had no idea what kind of creatures lurked in the trees around him. He had suspicions, but after all that had happened in the past few weeks his understanding of the word danger had changed. Now he had to fear things that should not exist along with things that should, and he wasn't sure which he was more afraid of. A pack of hungry wolves could strip the flesh off his bones easily, but so could a crazed man wielding a cleaver. His mortality was in danger of being dead and undead; two states he did not want to be placed in.

The map in Reno's hands was useless until he could find a town, and Reno expected the path he was on to lead him to one. So far, however, he had been met with no luck. He thought several times that he was seeing the lights of a nearby town in the distance, and then the firefly flock he had been gazing at flew past the cage. Reno was tired and he wished he could be back home and safe instead of lost and sitting on the cold, uncomfortable seat of the cage.

Genesis had a string of drool dripping from the corner of his lips and Reno watched as it ran down the lantern post, moistening and discoloring the pale, splintery wood. He let Bethany follow the path on her own, too tired to keep his attention focused forwards despite the danger he felt present all around. She was calm and well-rested, unlike her owner. Reno felt that his mind was stretched like the skin of a drum and that if an obscure thought beat too hard against its surface his mind would crack and he would be left broken and useless.

Yazoo looked at Loz, frowning as his favorite clan member sniffed at stale hay. "What in the name of the goddess are you doing? We're supposed to be following them, not rolling through stable scraps."

Loz rolled his eyes and looked at Yazoo; for such a smart vampire Yazoo sure could be dumb sometimes. "I'm picking up the scent of their horse. It'll lead me right to them."

Yazoo pointed at the wheel tracks leading out of the barn. "Or we could follow those."

Loz blinked at the ground and stood; fistfuls of straw dripping from his hands like crisp yellow rain. "Oh, I didn't even notice those."

Yazoo smiled and finished wiping the blood from his hands. "Well that's why I'm here. Let's get going."

Loz nodded and rolled his neck, nostrils flared and filled with the scent of blood. "It was hard to pick up the scent anyways."

"That's because there's so much blood around. These country bumpkins bleed a lot." Yazoo ran wiped-clean gloves through his long hair, letting it sway across his face and neck becomingly. He was gorged on the blood of the townspeople that the grisly butcher no longer protected and his sated thirst left him feeling needy for other pleasures.

"Yeah, they do." Loz licked his lips clean of the blood he had let crust across them. "Master would have loved to be here to feast with us."

"He wanted to spend time with Kadaj." Yazoo pouted, remembering how Kadaj had latched onto the Master only mere moments after being introduced to him.

Loz smiled and ran his finger over Yazoo's high-boned cheek. "You'll get your trinket back once Master is done with him. You know Master needs to be the one to perform the changing ceremonies."

Yazoo sighed forlornly, "I know. I just thought Master would be more pleased with the addition to our clan. Instead he got upset because the wolf escaped."

"We can still redeem that mistake. The night is young still and we have until the goddess' next full unveiling to bring him back to the Master." Loz looked up at the moon through a hole he and Yazoo had made in the top of the barn; the silly townspeople had thought that hiding inside the barn would keep them safe; instead it had simply made it easier for Yazoo and Loz to feast on them. One by one the townspeople had been dragged from the clutch of others through that hole, and one by one Yazoo and Loz had drained their blood filled bodies.

Yazoo smirked softly and ran a gloved hand down Loz's broad chest. "And you'll get a chance to play with your trinkets then too."

"I doubt it. Master will probably kill those two before we ever get back with the wolf and his pet." Loz sighed softly and wiped his straw-dust powdered hand off on his pant leg; he had truly wanted to keep the two opposing vampires he had captured alive. They would have been fun to toy with.

"Don't think that way, Master promised that since you caught them they could be your pets for awhile." Yazoo slid his hands up and down Loz's well-muscled chest, delighting in the smoothness he could feel beneath the fabric, even through his thick leather gloves.

Loz slipped a clean hand through Yazoo's hair, knowing that if he had dared to touch it moments before when it had been covered in straw dust Yazoo would have punched him. "But Master is the one who gets to decide how long 'awhile' lasts."

Yazoo purred softly as Loz's hand brushed his long, slick hair away from his tender neck, tilting his head back. "I'm sure it will last long enough for you to have your fun."

Loz took in the sight of Yazoo's exposed throat with a husky hum, knowing what it was Yazoo craved from him. He wanted to do what Yazoo was silently asking of him, but he knew it would be more fun if he made the other vampire say what he wanted. "It won't last at all if we don't do what we were told to do."

Yazoo stared up at the moon through the hole in the ceiling, eyes half shut and gleaming in the light. "We can do whatever we want tonight. Master isn't here and he did say to do what we wished in the village so long as no one was left alive. He was too busy stroking the coat of his new pet to be more specific."

"Very true." Loz ran a finger down Yazoo's neck, delighting in the way his skin looked when bathed in the purest light of the moon. Each finger-space he traced seemed like a great expanse of luscious silk, soft and smooth and covering something even more precious, like the fine, silk undergarments of a blushing woman on her wedding night.

Yazoo purred and pressed himself to Loz, not bothering to be more discreet with his desire. "I say lots of things that are true."

"And you say lots of things that are lies." Loz pressed his nose to Yazoo's slender neck, inhaling deeply the scent he carried on his luscious skin. He wished to sink his teeth into Yazoo and tear asunder the silk he wore, revealing the crimson red he so loved to pull from pulsing veins.

Yazoo ran his hands over Loz's back, pulling him closer. He felt that his neck was on fire with Loz's hot breath, yet he did not mind if he burned up because of it. "I'm not lying now. I want you to bite me."

Loz did as he was bid and sunk his long canines into Yazoo's tender flesh, delighting at the way it broke easily under the pressure he applied. Hot blood filled his mouth and he pulled it down his throat eagerly, his thirst piqued once more despite the ravenous feeding he had already done that night. Yazoo's blood always made him crave more, even though he knew it was simply the mixed blood of all his victims, it still had a taste to it that made it deliciously Yazoo. The distinct taste might have been caused by the way he ran his tongue over the broken flesh, lapping up the fluid and sealing the wound so he could open it again. Yazoo loved to be bitten and re-bitten, time and time again, and Loz would bite him until he was told to stop so that they could indulge in other activities.

Reno felt his head loll forward, unable to keep it upright anymore. He nudged Genesis with his elbow, voice weak. "Gen, take the reigns."

Genesis snorted awake, sleepily wiping drool from his chin and accepting the reigns Reno pressed into his hands. "W-when did I fall asleep?"

"About five minutes after we got started." Reno was having trouble keeping more than his head upright; he was tilting to the right and was dangerously close to landing his head in Genesis' lap. He hoped Genesis realized that it was because of how tired he was, not because he was interested in something physical; even though he was interested in the physical aspects of Genesis. He was just too tired to want to participate in anything physical, not matter how much he wanted it.

"Thanks for letting me sleep." Genesis yawned and stretched, his spine cracking loudly. The sound made Reno jump slightly, but his head still kept drifting to the right.

"No problem, Gen." Reno yawned and struggled to keep his eyes open as he kept tilting sideways.

Genesis let Reno's head fall into his lap, not concerned in the slightest by the awkwardness of the position that put them in. "Good night, Reno."

Reno muttered unintelligibly, his body falling asleep before his mind could register that it was doing so.

Genesis chuckled sleepily and leaned back, keeping his eyes fixed forward in search of civilization. He supposed that if they traveled in shifts like this they would be able to reach Tseng's clan in less time, but the way his eyelids dragged across the rims of his eyes let him know that he would not be able to handle shift-sleeping and neither would Reno. They would have to continue sleeping in the day and riding at night, but hopefully they would be able to sleep easier come morning. One night without incident would be just what they needed to get his nightmares to stop clawing at his mind. He needed just one night where the moon wrapped him in comforting light and the woods held its secrets back, keeping the horrors it held within out of his sight and reach.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry this took so long to get written. It's getting harder to write now that I work just about every day. It doesn't help that when I DO have time off work, I have chores to do. Oh well. I'll get all my stories caught up eventually.**


	14. Chapter 14

The sun rose at their backs, chasing the morning dew into the cracked surface of the ground beneath the wheels of the heavy metal cage. Bethany's hooves clacked across cobblestones, the first paved path Reno and Genesis had seen in nearly a day. Soot rose from Bethany's hooves and dusted over Reno and Genesis' feet, staining their clothes to a gray dullness that echoed the shape their spirits were in. Even though they had slept, they were both feeling tired and as worn as the rocky path Bethany trod upon. A fretful night being led around by will-o-wisps and scared stiff by distant howls and hoots had left their nerves in a state of disrepair.

Reno slumped forward, Bethany's reigns held loosely in his hands. "See a town yet, Gen?"

"No. Just grass." Genesis rested his head on the lantern post, snuffing the candle inside the lantern with the tips of his fingers now that its light was no longer needed.

"Dammit." Reno sighed and dug the map out of his pocket, looking it over carefully for some sign of where they might be. The woods outside Kalm extended over most of the Northwest of the continent, and outside the woods there were two different areas; one was all mountain ranges, and the other was simply grasslands. Since all Reno could see before them as Bethany clacked farther and farther along the cobbled path was grass, he was fairly sure they were in the grasslands now. "I think we're here." He vaguely gestured to the grassland area of the map for Genesis, not sure which way they should go now.

Genesis looked at the map in confusion. "Well it looks like we're still going the way Tseng told us to go, but, how come it took so long to get here? It looks like it's a straight shot from Kalm to where we are now."

"Maybe we took a wrong turn in the rain?" Reno shrugged.

Genesis frowned and pointed to a town Tseng had penned as darkly in the ink as he could, a few drops of which had run down into the mountain range Tseng had depicted. "Maybe we should've noticed he wrote _'don't go here!' _over that town. It may have saved us some trouble last night."

Reno looked at the map, frowning softly. "Yeah, that would've been nice to notice the other day."

"Let's read a little more carefully next time." Genesis took a look at the map, noting where they needed to go next. "We should follow this path as long as we can, it looks like there's supposed to be a house or something in this direction."

Reno nodded and yawned widely, snapping Bethany's reigns so their pace would quicken. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Genesis sat back and looked up at the weightless clouds drifting overhead, their outlines blurred with the colors of the rising sun. Various shades of pinks, blues, and reds leaped across the sky, bouncing along the clouds and staining their sides as they went. The vibrant colors dispersed into a solid and pale blue as they went too far from the sun for their fragile forms to withstand. It was peaceful, watching the sky transform from dawn to day, but Genesis saw the more ominous side to the rising sun that chased away the terrors of the night; he saw how the sun carried the night behind it, and how, when the sun took its turn to close its eye, the moon would unveil its cold splendor to his fearful gaze and he would have to calculate how much longer he had before that luminous celestial being pulled sanity, humanity, and will from his grasp.

Reno took in a much more peaceful view of the morning; one filed with hope and a stern refusal to believe that, in the daylight, they were anything but safe. The rhythmic clacking of Bethany's hooves against the cobble-stone path set his heart a beat to pound to. His breaths were filled with the sweet tang of grass beading with morning dew and his body grew warmer as the sun wrapped warmth around his shoulders, draping heat around his body like an untouchable cloak. He felt safe in the light and warmth that the sun provided and, as he gazed at the beauty of the grassy plains around him, he felt that, perhaps, there truly was a Flamekeeper and an Icekeeper and, maybe, it really was possible that he had gotten caught in a deadly game the two were holding. If he was caught in a plot of the gods, there wasn't a lot he could do about it, something he realized as he watched the sky brighten on the horizon. He also came to the conclusion that, no matter what happened, Elmyra had done him a favor by marking him out for protection from the Flamekeeper, who seemed like the deity in need of the most help. The Icekeeper had more than enough hands under her guidance and Reno was glad he wasn't on her side.

When the sunlight shone so brightly on him, however, Reno couldn't feel threatened by the game he had been slapped into. Even if the Icekeeper had more deadly adversaries than he could handle, he hadn't been killed yet and he was confident that the trend of not dying would continue. So long as he and Genesis kept pushing forward on the path Tseng had set out for them, he was sure that they would stay safe.

Genesis lolled his head forward, sick of staring at the clouds above. His arm hurt, his ass was numb from sitting all night, and he was tired. So unbelievably tired. "Reno, can we stop for the day?"

Reno snored, asleep where he sat.

Genesis sighed and grabbed hold of Bethany's reigns, looking for a suitable place to set up camp for the day. A roof in the distance caught his eye as he began to lead Bethany to the side of the road, his spirits rising at the thought of a roof over his head and the possibility of soft sheets under his back. He hadn't slept well in what felt like forever and he desperately needed to close his eyes for well needed rest. He snapped the largely un-used riding crop against Bethany's flank and grinned as she went faster, her hooves tearing loose pebbles from the path and sending them into the side of the cage. He couldn't endure anymore waiting, he needed to lie down and close his weary eyes on the light of day.

As the cage drew closer to the building, Genesis felt his hopes fall. Instead of soft, warm sheets; the best he hoped for was a night in the hay-filled barn he could see next to the run-down farmhouse that had initially caught his eye. The barn looked cleaner. He hoped the owner of the farmhouse was friendly enough to let them sleep during the day, he knew there were some landowners who, in return for a night spent in the barn or spare room, made the travelers work all day. Genesis would rather pay exorbitant amounts of gil for a few hours of rest in some stale straw than work all day for a few hours of sleep that would put them behind schedule for their nighttime travels. He was determined to only travel at night so he wouldn't be caught unprepared by the creatures that haunted its darkness.

Reno snorted awake as the cage passed over a bump in the road, his peaceful dream interrupted by the motion. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, yawning widely. "W-where we at, Gen?"

"We're almost to a farm, Reno." Genesis urged Bethany faster, eager for rest.

"Farm?" Reno looked up, slightly confused as his still-dreaming mind began the tough process of connecting reality to fantasy.

"Yeah." Genesis blinked at the yellow birds dotting the pasture behind the farmhouse. "I think it's a chocobo farm."

Reno blinked, "What's a chocobo?"

"You've never seen one?" Genesis raised an eyebrow.

"No, I've never even heard of them. What are they?" Reno looked at the yellow birds in the distance. "Are they those big yellow chickens back there?"

Genesis laughed softly. "You really don't get out much do you? Or do any reading or traveling or talking?"

Reno blushed. "No, I keep to myself mostly. I'm guessing just about everyone else in the world knows about the yellow chickens?"  
"Yes, the rest of us know about the chickens." Genesis smiled and patted Reno's shoulder softly. "Don't worry though, if the farmer asks you know exactly what chocobos are. They're those giant chicken things."

Reno smiled and nodded, blushing now because Genesis was touching him. "Okay. Giant chicken equals chocobo. Got it."

"Maybe I should do the talking." Genesis smiled and pulled Bethany to a stop beside the farm house, handing the reigns to Reno and hopping out of the cage. He gave Bethany a pat on the nose as he walked past her on his way to the house. She snorted at him, probably upset about his use of the riding crop. Genesis wasn't terribly concerned over Bethany's opinion of him, however; she was only a horse after all. He knocked on the door of the farmhouse, hoping the farmer was friendly or, at least, bribable.

Genesis' answer was soon given, as the farmer shouted several curses at the door before opening it. The man flung the door open, forcing Genesis to take a few steps backwards as it flew into his face. Genesis blinked at the man, who was scrawny, blonde, and in the process of lighting a corncob pipe held in his thin fingered hands. "What do ya want?" Genesis cleared his throat and was quickly interrupted as the farmer shoved him aside, sticking the pipe between his teeth and looking the cage over carefully. "Still usin' one of them horses, eh?"

"What else would we use?" Reno raised an eyebrow and held Bethany's reigns tightly.

The farmer raised an eyebrow and pulled his pipe out of his mouth, turning to Genesis. "Is he stupid or somethin'?"

"No, he's from up North. Up in Kalm." Genesis frowned, disliking the farmer already. It didn't matter if he thought the farmer was a nice person, so long as the farmer was able to give them sanctuary for the day.

"Ah, that'd explain the horse and the stupidity." The farmer walked up to Bethany and gave her a quick once over, making both Bethany and Reno highly uncomfortable.

Reno frowned at the farmer. "I'm not an idiot. What does being from Kalm have to do with anything anyways?"

"Yer a bit ass-backwards up in Kalm. Midgar too, at least in the little villages around Midgar, not the central city. The people around Midgar are all vampire worshippers and morons." The farmer puffed on his pipe and gave Bethany a reassuring pat. "I forgot how huge these things are. I guess I'm too used to chocobos now."

Reno blinked. "So, the actual city of Midgar is fine, but the villages around it are huge problems?" He looked at Genesis with a weak smile. "That explains our horrible experience."

Genesis nodded and leaned on a post holding up the roof on the porch. "No kidding."

The farmer wiped his hands on his pants and turned to the two, done admiring the horse. "So, what are ya?"

"Don't you mean, who are we?" Reno raised an eyebrow.

"No, I mean, what are ya?" The farmer looked between the two, his sharp blue eyes floating behind a veil of smoke he puffed from his tobacco stained lips. "I can tell yer a human," he poked a thin finger at Reno accusingly, "cause yer too stupid ta be anythin' else." Reno frowned, taking offense to the repeated slights to his intelligence. "But you," He turned to Genesis with a frown, "Ya don't even smell human. What are ya?"

Genesis raised an eyebrow, looking the farmer over with more care. He decided it would be best to tell the truth once he spotted the pistol-grip poking out from one of the deep pockets of the farmer's trousers. "I'm a werewolf. How could you tell?"

"I've got a good sense of smell." The farmer tapped his nose. "I can smell it on ya. It's like having a wet dog rolling around at your feet."

"Does my being a werewolf not bother you?" Genesis raised an eyebrow.

"Aside from the smell, nah, I could care less what ya are. Yer far enough away from the full moon to make me comfortable." He turned to Reno, "You, however, need to grow some damned brains if yer gonna be traveling with dog breath over here. That horse can't outrun him when he's wolfy, especially not with that giant prison being carted behind her."

Reno frowned, getting fed up with the farmer's insistence that he was stupid. "Bethany is faster than you think."

"Unless that mare has wings on her feet she ain't gonna outrun the bastard." The farmer began unhitching Bethany from the cage, not feeling the need to ask first.

Reno hopped down and started re-hitching Bethany to the cage. "Knock it off! She's my horse and she's pulling the cage! She won't need to outrun him anyways; he'll be in the cage!"

"Let me unhitch the damn horse, she needs a drink ya moron." The farmer raised an eyebrow, resuming his attempts to unhitch Bethany without Reno's interference. "He'll tear that cage up like its tissue paper!"

"Actually, I've locked him in it before when he was a werewolf and he couldn't get out." Reno folded his arms over his chest, grudgingly letting the farmer unhitch Bethany.

The farmer blinked in shock at Reno. "He's that weak? Those bars should crumble under a werewolf's claws!"

Genesis sighed. "One of the cures I tried weakened the beast. I haven't gotten rid of it, but at least it's not as terrible."

"It can still bite and spread the curse, it's still terrible." The farmer led Bethany by the harness to the corral where he kept his chocobos, releasing her with the large birds. Reno watched warily as Bethany got acquainted with the odd chickens, letting them brush against her and lead her to their water troughs.

"But no as terrible as it was." Genesis leaned against the porch heavily, his weariness starting to catch up to him again.

"Either way, it's still a long ways until the full moon and I expect you boys to be out of here after you rest and let me learn ya a thing or two." The farmer jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Reno as he led them into the house. "That one there could definitely use some extra brains."

Reno frowned and followed the irritating farmer, taking a last glance at Bethany as he stepped onto the porch. Bethany munched on the odd lettuce-like leaves that lined the feeding trough for the chocobos, not seeming to be bothered by the large birds pecking at it beside her. Reno kept watching, aiming his next question at Genesis. "So, how do we know we can trust this guy?"

Genesis opened his mouth to answer, but the farmer cut him off with a yell from inside the house. "Cuz I haven't killed ya yet! Shut yer trap and get in here before I decide ta remedy that!"

Genesis laughed and clapped a hand on Reno's shoulder comfortingly, giving him a gentle squeeze. "He's got a point. Let's just go inside and get some sleep. We could use it."

Reno nodded and followed Genesis inside, yawning widely. "Y-yeah, no kidding."

* * *

**Author's Note: So, I know it's been forever since I updated, but that's because no one in this story wanted to cooperate. Then I changed the first few sentences and BAM, suddenly they all want to play nicely with me. I guess that's just how these fickle people work. *shrug***

**Oh, who can guess who the farmer is? It'll be much easier than the last guessing game I put you through so no prizes. Sorry.**


	15. Chapter 15

Reno grumbled groggily as the farmer ripped the tattered blanket off his bed. "Hey!"

The farmer folded the blanket and set it aside. "Get up, lazy, we need to talk."

Reno sat up and rubbed his fists against his eyes. "My name is Reno, not lazy."

"I call it as I see it, idiot." The farmer waited impatiently for Reno to rise.

Reno stood and frowned, still blinking sleep from his bloodshot eyes. Who was this farmer to insult him? Reno was about to question the farmers credentials as a judge when a quick once over from the barkish man reminded him of the bandages still crisscrossing his chest. He quickly picked up his shirt and slipped it on.

"I guess idiot is the more accurate term for you then." The farmer frowned and watched as buttoned-fastened cloth hid the blood smeared bandages from his view. "That won't be healed up before he changes again."

"So? Who cares how fast I can run. That's what I got the cage for." Reno frowned and slipped on his belt.

Genesis grumbled sleepily and rolled over in his sleep. Reno frowned at the farmer and led him out of the room, not wanting to wake Genesis up by arguing with the farmer. He spoke again once they left the room. "So why did you wake me up? It can't be later than three o'clock."

"We need to have a talk, man to uninformed man." The farmer led Reno down to the kitchen, his feet leaving tracks on the dusty floorboards.

"Will you stop telling me how stupid I am?" Reno frowned and listened carefully to the farmer's voice. When they had met the farmer, he had sounded more like an ignorant hick than anything else. Now the uneducated accent that had twanged his voice around earlier was slipping in and out of his words.

"Don't tell me how to insult ya in my own home. If I wanna be rude, I'll be rude." The farmer sat at his table and propped his feet onto the stained wooden surface.

Reno sat across from the farmer, noting the burned rings in the wood that most likely came from the tea kettle that was steaming and screaming on the stove. "Well don't expect me to sit here and take it, alright? You don't even know me."

"I know you better than you think. You've got no idea what I know about you." The farmer leaned back in his chair and grabbed the tea kettle from the stove, not seeming to mind the hiss of hot metal against his calloused and thick hands.

"What do you think you know about me?" Reno raised and eyebrow as the farmer set the hot kettle's red bottom on the table, adding another ring to the wood.

"I know why you've teamed up with that bastard werewolf in the other room." The farmer grabbed two mugs from his cupboard.

Reno blinked. "Why do you think I teamed up with him?"

"Because you think he's gorgeous." The farmer grinned and poured tea into the mugs, shoving the hot tea at Reno. "I know a queer when I see a queer just like I know a werewolf when I see one."

Reno's eyes went round as saucers. "What the hell tipped you off!"

"Well ya stare at him a little more than is necessary. I noticed it, but your wolfy friend didn't. He's oblivious so for now, you're safe in that regard." The farmer leaned back in his chair and slipped piping hot tea between his thin pink lips.

Reno held his mug of tea. "I didn't realize I stared…but… Why are you making it your problem?"

"Because it was my problem at one point." The farmer looked into his mug, his gray eyes taking on a hint of humanity for a moment. The moment was gone the second Reno glimpsed it and the farmer leered at him. "Get out of it while you've got the chance. Grab your horse and your stuff and leave while he's still asleep. I'll lend him a chocobo and he can finish the journey on his own."

"No way! I can't let him do this alone!" Reno set his tea down roughly, glaring into the farmer's face. "I told him I'd help him and dammit that's what I'm going to do."

"Some promises shouldn't be kept!" The farmer set his tea down just as roughly, righting his chair and slamming his feet against the floor for emphasis. "I made the same damn mistake yer going to make and if ya don't leave now ya can bet yer life ye'll regret it!"

"What the hell do you mean you made the same mistake? I haven't made a mistake yet!" Reno frowned and clenched his fists against the dark wood of the table, his eyes narrow and cold. The farmer was trying to reclaim his accent now, but Reno knew better. "You can drop the pitiful farmer act now. We both know you don't talk that way."

"I was never that great at acting. I worked on it once for the benefit of someone else, but it never took." The farmer sighed and plunged his hand into one of his many pockets. "Sit down, shut up, drink your tea, and listen."

Reno grabbed his mug and sat back in his chair. He couldn't even remember when he had risen to his feet in his anger.

The farmer pulled a pipe from his pocket and stuffed tobacco into it, tapping it down with his middle finger before lighting it on his still burning stove. He took a long draw on the pipe and blew smoke into the air in delicate rings, his eyes closed as he gathered the story together in his mind. Reno waited, his hands wrapped around his mug and his legs crossed at the ankles. He was not sure what the farmer was playing at, but he would feel much more comfortable if Genesis was in the room. He supposed it would defeat the purpose of the farmer trying to tell him he should get the heck out of dodge, but he still wished Genesis was there. The other man's presence calmed him.

The farmer pulled his pipe form between his lips and began his story, smoke still rolling from his lips in small curlicues. "I was about nineteen when my story started. I was just as naïve as you are and I dreamed of being an inventor. I wasn't really interested in anything but my inventions, but my father hated them so I had to work on my creations at night in the shed. That's when I met my werewolf."

Reno blinked and waved smoke from his face. "What do you mean, 'your werewolf'?"

"Shut up, idiot. You're not listening." The farmer blew smoke into Reno's face, resuming his story once the red-head finished coughing. "I was lucky enough to survive my encounter because I was trying to invent a new kind of transportation that uses a steam engine just like the bigger machines use. I was clawed from behind when the werewolf tried to drag me out of the shed I was working in, but I was able to knock my engine on its side and the steam burned the thing so bad that he let go of me. I sorta hunkered down behind the steam engine foe the rest of the night and waited for it to finally figure out how to get past the steam, but thankfully the beast was more interested in licking what little flesh it had got off me from its claws and waiting for its wounds to heal. Come morning I was had stopped bleeding and the engine had stopped working so I was able to drag my pitiful self out of the shed to look at whatever had gotten me. All I found was him."

"You know, this is really hard to follow without any names." Reno frowned and sipped his tea.

"Oh, right, I never introduced myself." The farmer blew smoke at the ceiling and chuckled softly. "My name is Cid Highwind and at one point in my life I was the best damn inventor in this entire nation. Now I'm just a chocobo farmer escaping memories." Cid took another draw off his pipe. "As for the werewolf who either ruined my life or gave me a destiny I've yet to fulfill, his name is Rufus." Cid's eyes drifted for a moment as the name flicked off his tongue, an old flame of passion flickering in his eyes before a careful blink snuffed it. "Rufus was lying outside the shed surrounded by these delicate blonde hairs and I knew exactly what he was the moment I saw him. He was a werewolf, but damn was he beautiful. You have no idea how beautiful he was." Cid gazed into his tea, a small smile trying to pull his lips upward. "Sorry, moving on. He was sorry for what had happened and helped me bandage up and we learned a little more about each other. He was trying to find a cure for his affliction and was lost as hell. I just so happened to know where he was trying to get to because I had been sending design plans to an inventor there for a few months to try and get critique on my work. Since I needed to go up there anyways to see if my designs were being looked over or stolen from, we decided to pair up and travel together. You have no idea how long the journey from Gongaga to Rocket Town gets when halfway through your traveling companion turns into a werewolf and tries to decimate small village. We had to go into hiding for awhile and got off course, but that time we spent off course was the best of my life."

"Really? How can you say that when you were hiding from people who wanted him dead?" Reno raised an eyebrow, clearly confused.

"Well the best way to spend time hunkered down in the most beautiful cave you'll ever see is to go spelunking. We spelunked in more ways than one, if you catch my drift." A lewd grin crossed Cid's face and Reno had enough modesty to blush at the suggestive use of the word spelunk. "Anyways, we eventually moved on towards Nibelheim, where he was supposed to be, but instead of dropping him off there and going on to Rocket Town like I had initially planned, I stuck around. That was the end of my inventing career and my naivety."

"What happened?" Reno held his cup out for more tea and Cid obliged, pouring the still steaming liquid into his cup.

"Well, the men who claimed to have to cure for him were vampires. They were gorgeous, all five of them, all flawless and pristine, but they were cruel bastards. They kept Rufus and I from each other and used me as renewable source of fresh fodder for their trough. They never bit me to try and change me, but the threat was there. That threat was what initially kept Rufus there even though they had no cure for him and no desire to find a cure for him, but eventually they got to him. I was no longer his main concern and I can't find it in my heart to blame him for that, by the time they brainwashed him I was nothing more than a wispy little bag of blood and bones. There was nothing left to me. I don't even remember how long I was down there. I was trying to keep track on the wall, but one of the vampires, Yazoo, kept coming in and scratching more days onto the wall. I couldn't trust my makeshift calendar after that." Cid took a sip of his quickly cooling tea and relit his pipe. "Rufus agreed to become their pet and I was able to see him one last time before they finally let me go. There were only three of them left at that point, the other two had left the clan or had been killed; I don't remember which." Cid stuffed his pipe between his lips and took another draw. "The biggest one, Loz, dragged me up to Rufus and his new master or lover, whichever you want to call the silver-haired bastard, and I was given a choice. Become a vampire and stay, or spend the rest of my life, which was admittedly beginning to draw to a close, as their refrigerator. One look at that sliver bastard petting my Rufus and pulling my blonde beauty into his lap was all the motivation I needed to tell him to fuck off and let me go back to my filthy little cell." Cid poured more tea into his cup, setting the kettle back onto the stove to keep the precious tea warm. "I think they thought that eventually I would cave and become a vampire after some time passed, but they obviously didn't know me very well. I have no interest in being immortal. I want to be a simple man with simple dreams and ambitions, but I can't even follow those. I have to release any white or black chocobos I breed into the wild so that I won't have my name tossed around for breeding them. I've had to release twelve so far and it pains me each time I do. I know that I could get fame and publicity from those chocobos, not to mention the amount of money I would be paid for one, but I have to stifle everything I do to the point where it's so mundane and ordinary that no one would even bother to remember my name long enough to mention it to the wrong person. I switched continents, lost all contact with my family, and gave up on those blueprints I drew up years and years ago."

"How long has it been, Cid?" Reno sipped at his tea, his eyes round and wide.

"Well, genius, I was nineteen when it happened and I think I'm in my late thirties now, so about twenty years?" Cid scratched his head, his tousled blonde hair sticking up in odd directions as he finished.

Reno gaped, aghast. "You've been hiding out for twenty years!"

"Yeah, but you fools probably ruined my solitude. Describe the vampires who are after you." Cid frowned and sipped his tea deeply.

"They sound like the ones you described. Silver hair, gorgeous, and cruel." Reno shuddered and touched his neck, remembering the feel of waking up with dried blood where nimble ethereal fingers had trailed over his delicate flesh while he had slept in a fitful nightmare.

"Then you're in more trouble than you can even realize. It may be too late for you to turn back." Cid sighed and sipped his tea. "Those things on your face… What are they there for?"

Reno touched the tattoos, sighing softly. "They were put there by a gypsy woman without my permission. She said they marked me for protection from the flamekeeper."

"Oh they do, do they?" Cid laughed, the sound gruff but genuine. "Gypsies can be such morons! They have no idea what those really mean!"

"What do they mean then, know-it-all?" Reno frowned and sipped his tea. Sure, he didn't really like that he had tattoos, but he was stuck with them forever now so he at least had to defend his face.

"Do you know the story of the Ifrit and Shiva? The Flamekeeper and Icekeeper?" Cid raised an eyebrow at Reno, his tea warm and steaming in the mug between his hands.

"No, I didn't believe in that superstitious nonsense until a week or so ago when Genesis showed up and it got forced into my thick skull." Reno sipped his tea, feeling his weariness again as the hot tea warmed the pit of his stomach.

"Well, the story is simple to tell. The Flamekeeper, Ifrit, was madly in love with the Icekeeper, Shiva. This was back when night and day were one in the same and the sun and moon hung in the sky at all times; the moon never waned and the sun never set. Ifrit was desperate for Shiva, but he could never touch her for she was made of ice and his very touch would melt her beautiful outside. So, in his desperation, he watched her. She knew he watched her and knew of his longing, but she cared nothing about him. She was in love with the waterkeeper, Leviathan. She loved him deeply and he loved her in return. However, because of Ifrit's jealousy and infamous temper, they had to keep their love a secret and so in the deepest caverns of earth and sea they romanced each other and made love. Ifrit was oblivious to this as in his deluded thoughts he imagined Shiva to be just as desperate for him as he was for her. One day, as Shiva and Leviathan made love deep in the earth and Ifrit searched for Shiva on the land, the earthkeeper, Gaia, was scorched by Ifrit's powerful heat and she withdrew into the earth. Gaia witnessed Shiva and Leviathan in the deepest caverns of her precious earth and she was angry with them for they were fornicating in sacred ground. Gaia knew of Ifrit's jealousy and his love for Shiva and, in her rage at the goddess, she went to Ifrit and told him what she had seen. When Shiva and Leviathan returned to the surface of the earth, Ifrit chased Leviathan into the water and in fear Shiva fled to the other side of the planet. This is why the sun and moon never appear in the sky at the same time. Ifrit is always chasing after Shiva to try and gaze at her again and Shiva is forever running from him so that she can be with Leviathan in the dark. This is also why the tides are controlled by the phases on the moon." Cid sipped his tea. "The moon has phases because it is a physical incarnation of Shiva's heart and, when she is closest to Ifrit, her heart fills with longing for Leviathan."

"So what does that have to do with my tattoos?" Reno raised an eyebrow, uninterested in the love affairs of the gods.

Cid snorted and tapped the ash from his pipe out on the table, stuffing it with fresh tobacco and lighting it once more. "It has everything to do with them. Ifrit is forever searching for Shiva. His 'blessing' means you have to search for Shiva too. Guess what Shiva did to the people she 'blessed'?"

Reno paled, puzzle pieces clicking in his head slowly. "What did she do?"

"Made it so they would never be able to gaze upon the sun again." Cid narrowed his eyes at Reno, smoke curling from his pipe in lazy circles.

"So she made them vampires?" Reno felt a cold shiver trail down his spine. "What about werewolves?"

"Those are Leviathan's cursed people. When the moon is full, Shiva is farthest from him. He himself goes crazy with upset and rage and those who he has decided to curse turn into beasts and destroy everything in their path; exactly as Leviathan does." Cid poured more tea into Reno's quickly cooling mug.

Reno could feel his face growing paler. "So what does that mean for Genesis and me?"

"It means that in all likelihood Genesis will end up a pet to vampires, the same as you. You know, Ifrit has more power than any other cosmic deity, yet he cannot use any of it to help you because he would have to harm Shiva in some way to do so and he can't bring himself to do that. For all his strength, his unrequited love has made him weak." Cid sipped his tea, his pipe resting in his hand as he stared at the table.

"So, if we keep going on, you think we'll end up the way you and Rufus did? Where he's stuck with a group of merciless immortals for eternity and you have to spend the rest of your life as a hermit?" Reno looked up, his thin red bangs falling over his eyes.

"Yes. I believe that one hundred percent." Cid nodded and set the empty tea kettle on the stove, letting the pot heat without anything in it.

Reno tossed thoughts around in his head for a moment, considering all he had just learned. Looking around at the cluttered and jumbled house Cid kept, he knew he would never want to live the way he did. He was not capable of living in a world where he was forced to hide instead of hiding by choice. Cid might be free of the vampires holding his ex-lover captive, but he would never be free of his own soul crushing misery. Reno looked up, his eyes cold in their red tattoo frames. "I won't let that happen."

"You've got no say in the matter." Cid frowned, his tobacco stained fingers curling tighter around his pipe and cup.

"I've got every say in the matter." Reno stood, finishing the last of his tea in a few quick gulps and setting the cup back on the table. "Thank you for the tea, we'll be out of your hair tonight." He tromped his way back upstairs, reinstating his position in the bed that Genesis had rolled all over and mussed up. He shoved Genesis back to his side of the bed and lay down; forgoing the blanket that Cid had taken from him before the talk. He made himself comfortable without the coverlet, his head spinning and whirling as he tried to forget what Cid had said. He wouldn't let Genesis fall prey to the creatures wanting to add another pet to their collection and he wouldn't let the creatures claiming to help them make him an experimental toy. He would protect Genesis, even though the man didn't truly need Reno's pitifully mortal protection. Reno let his eyes slide shut, closing off the world as Genesis rolled back over and draped an arm over his side, slipping his extra blankets over Reno's stomach with a long snore.

Cid sat, shaking his head with a soft smile. He could recognize the determination he had seen in Reno's pale blue eyes, his own had held the same kind of stubbornness almost twenty years ago. He had long since given up that stubborn cling to hope and its shiny, airy trinkets, but he could plainly see that Reno had not and would not until the inevitable happened. Cid stood and rinsed out the mugs, looking out at his chocobo farm where Bethany grazed alongside his preening chocobos. He smiled as Bethany raised her head, her thin nose pointing towards his window as she seemed to sense his gaze on her. Cid turned away and walked out to tend his rag-tag flock. "What an idiot."

* * *

**Author's Note: This took forever to write and I apologize for it, but hopefully the length makes up for its lateness. I've had to restart it maybe four times. Thankfully last week the characters started to cooperate with me and between classes and work I've been able to spit this wonderfully lengthy chapter at you.**


	16. Chapter 16

A few weak strands of twilight slipped through Genesis' eyelids, running into his brain and summoning him from the depths of a peaceful dream. He wasn't sure how he had managed to have a good dream after all that had happened, the sunlight soaking into the room had probably had something to do with his peaceful dream, but he wouldn't begrudge his mind the comfort and pleasure a nice dream could bring. He slowly let his eyes peel apart to let in the last rays of sunlight that were slipping through the window, beginning to wonder what was wrong with his pillow. It was too warm, but that wasn't what had him confused. The odd thump sounding under his ear was what had him confused. He focused his eyes, gazing at the wall across from him as he figured out what he had sleepily wrapped himself around without needing to look for reassurance. A warm body next to his was a nice change of pace, but he had thought that he and Reno were far enough apart on the large bed that they wouldn't have to wake up in such a strange situation, not that he felt any need to explain the way he was holding Reno to anyone. What he did in his sleep was not his fault and he knew Reno would see it the same way. He was simply confused by the fact that he hadn't removed himself immediately after realizing how he was positioned, with Reno's chest under his cheek and their limbs tangled and crossed. Perhaps he hadn't moved yet because he wasn't sure how he should move to untangle himself, he was still not quite awake enough to figure out which legs were his legs even though he could remove his arms easily. Instead of moving around and waking Reno, like the time of day the sun suggested told him he should, he lay where he had woken, taking a few moments to simply bask in the comfort of sleeping in a real bed with a real friend in safety. He closed his eyes and tried to resurrect his dream from the shreds that he still had rolling around in his brain, but it was nearly impossible to summon up the full play from the few scenes he had clutched between his eyelids. A few glimpses of him and Reno laughing by a stream were the most he could muster up and they made him smile, assuming that he and Reno had spent his dream fishing by the stream they had slept at the day before. He analyzed the glimpses for as long as he could before they dissipated like smog from his warm and sleepy brain, leaving him with a smile and a strange feeling of satisfaction.

Genesis heard the door open and felt the weight of the farmer's eyes on his back, knowing that he was being judged. He couldn't find it in him to care, however; he was comfortable and he didn't feel like getting up yet. All bets were off, however, when the farmer grasped the bottom of the blanket and gave a mighty tug, forcing him and Reno to recoil and shiver as their joint warmth escaped the prison they had been keeping it in. Genesis sat up; glad that Reno's flailing had helped him untangle himself. "Hey!"

"Hay is for horses now get yer asses up and get movin'! It's almost night!" Cid gathered up the blanket and held them away from Reno as the red-head grabbed at them, doing his best to avoid looking at the pair that reminded him of past nights spent in a beautiful cave wrapped up much the same way with his own werewolf.

Reno shivered and sat up. "Dammit, Cid, why'd ya do that! I was having such a good dream!"

"I said it's almost night, Reno, what more information do ya need to get yer ass outta that bed?" Cid frowned over the pile of blankets nestled snugly in his arms. "If you don't get out I'll drag ye out!"  
Genesis blinked at Reno. "When did you two get on a first name basis?"

"He'll explain later, right now ye need to get the hell up!" Cid frowned and slammed the door shut as he walked out of the room.

Reno got up and shivered, tugging his clothes on. "He already woke me up once."

Genesis pulled on his clothes and sighed. "Why?"

"I'll explain on the road. It's…a little complicated." Reno tugged on his boots and made sure they had all their things.

"Alright, but just so we're clear last I knew he was calling you idiot every five minutes. You can start explaining from that platform." Genesis zipped his pants and struggled his feet into their boot holsters.

"Get movin' idiots!" Cid bellowed up the stairs, his voice carrying a menacing, yet obviously frightened tone to it.

"Man, he must want us out bad." Genesis frowned and laced his boots.

"He's got good reason." Reno shuddered. Genesis gave him a look that wrote novels based on the phrase, 'I don't understand', and Reno smiled, rolling his eyes. "I already said I'd explain later!"

They gathered up the few things they had taken from the cage and raced down to where Cid was waiting outside, his hands now free of the blankets he had been carrying. Instead he held Bethany's reins in one and the reins of a high spirited chocobo in the other. Genesis raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment as he and Reno stowed their things in the back of the cage, securing everything before moving to the driver's seat.

Cid tossed Reno the reins and barked a gruff command. "You two stay the hell off the road! Follow that path over there and for the love of the gods don't stop, not even to piss. Hell, hold it in all night if you've gotta it'll keep ya from spreadin' your scents all over the godsdamned woods."

"What the hell, Cid?" Reno raised an eyebrow, tugging out his map. "The map says follow the road!"

"The map is shit!" Cid frowned and moved to tear the map from Reno's protesting hands. Reno snatched it back with a frown and Cid continued his rant, somewhat sad that he didn't get to tear the paper to tiny shredded bits. "That path is a short cut. It'll take ya to the next town over and from their ya can get back on yer damned map and ride it like it's a bitch ya paid twenty gil for for all I care. Ya can't take the road because I set up a fake trail going that way and if ya screw up all my work I'll charge ya the cost of the horse and buggy I had to frickin' buy to try and save yer sorry ass!"

Genesis blinked, watching the sun sink below the horizon. "Argue later, newlyweds, we've got to get moving."

After a brief protest from Reno about how little he would enjoy being married to Cid and a slap on Bethany's rump from the irate farmer they were on their way down the path, hurtling over rocks and roots embedded in the dirt, Cid urging his chocobo in the opposite direction as fast as he could make its thin legs move. Genesis tried to light the lantern as they went and frowned, nearly catching his shirt on fire but having no trouble with the lantern. "That bastard wet the wick! It won't light!"

"Of course he wet the wick! He doesn't want us being found by those vampires and even if they've got great night vision we don't need to be sending out any bright glaring signals for them." Reno urged Bethany faster, Cid's sense of urgency settling fear into his chest like a cold, wet stone settled into mud.

"They didn't catch us the last time we had our lantern lit!" Genesis protested, giving up on the swaying lantern and clinging to the post for dear life as Bethany galloped over the rough path.

"Yeah, but last time they were probably busy slurping up all that blood you found at that inn!" Reno shuddered and did his best to guide Bethany in the failing light, wishing briefly that he could be a vampire too so that he might actually see where he was directing his speeding mare.

"Oh just let go of the damned reins and let her lead!" Genesis frowned and loosely hooked the reins to the rail that was the only thing keeping them from tumbling face forward out of the rocking cage. He didn't need any reminders of that inn. It was bad enough that he remembered it at all.

Reno clung to the rail, praying Bethany would be able to hold up for the rest of the night. "So this is how we're going to spend the night? Yelling and swearing as Bethany tries to kill us?"

Genesis sighed. "No, we can rein her in once the sunlight is completely gone. Since we've still got a few strands of it left we should probably let her run. It's best if we get as far away from Cid's place as we can."

"That reminds me, I've got to tell you why we're on a first name basis." Reno ignored Genesis and started to rein Bethany in. He didn't need her wearing out before they even got two miles from Cid's home.

"Oh, right." Genesis relaxed as Bethany slowed, feeling less seasick now that the cage wasn't tipping as violently as it had been. "So, what's the story?"

The sun sunk deep below the horizon, letting the moon shine pearls of white light over the cooling landscape below. Reno explained quietly as they went, trying to condense everything Cid had said to him into only the necessary bits of information, and finding that it only made the story longer because he kept doubling back to say things he had accidentally left out. Eventually, at Genesis' urging, he started over fresh and told things the way Cid had told them, leaving out the few parts where Cid inferred that there was a relationship between himself and Genesis.

Genesis blinked at Reno, digesting what the red-head had said. "So, Cid had a werewolf for a lover and the vampires chasing us down caught him and brainwashed him?"

"Yeah, and they'll do the same to you if you get caught." Reno shuddered and let Bethany lead them, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"And all that stuff about gods and goddesses?" Genesis raised an eyebrow.

"Superstitious mumbo jumbo. It's not our main concern. I don't give two shits what any god or goddess has planned for me. I make my own path." Reno frowned stubbornly, "I refuse to believe in that crap. It's useless."

"It may be useless, but there is some merit in it. At least it gives us some kind of explanation. And who knows? Perhaps it is real. How would any of us know?" Genesis gave up on watching the path, instead focusing on watching the things closest to him, namely Reno and Bethany. The horse looked worse for wear, but the red-head looked determined. It seemed a little odd to him that Reno was so vehemently against the idea of gods and goddesses.

"That's my point. How the hell would we know? Why should people live their lives based around what a god or goddess might not have said?" Reno frowned, unintentionally raising his voice.

"Easy, we're trying to stay hidden here!" Genesis hissed, knowing that the rattling of the cage alone was too loud to make hiding forever possible.

Reno grumbled softly under his breath, his hands tightening around the reins. "I just think it's stupid, alright?"

"Yeah, but that's no reason to scream and give up our location." Genesis frowned; suddenly very aware of how loud Bethany's hooves were on the soft dirt path and how much the cage creaked as it swayed.

"I didn't scream." Reno protested quietly, his unease growing as the moon rose over their heads. "How long until the moon is full?"

Genesis looked up, unable to really see the moon between the branches of the trees above. "I'm not sure, but long enough that we should be able to get somewhat safe before we have to deal with that."

"Maybe we should let her run… I don't want to be caught with my pants down or anything. I want to be far ahead of those bastards. Cid tried, but I know they'll figure out which trail is ours." Reno shuddered; his eyes squinted against the light as the tempting thought to run Bethany as far as she could crossed his mind.

"If we make too much noise that will happen for sure. Besides," Genesis pulled a rifle out from under the seat of the cage and shoved Reno the silver round lodged in the chamber. "We always have guns."

"True, but I'd rather not have to deal with something wanting to kill me so bad that I have to shoot at it." Reno frowned and pulled his own gun into his lap, feeling more secure with the silver sitting in his lap.

"Well, you signed up for this knowing that things were going to try and eat you so I don't want to hear any complaining. When the time comes to shoot, shoot." Genesis frowned and looked at the lantern. He really wished he could light it. It would make him feel much calmer.

"I know, I know." Reno sighed and gave Bethany's reins a soft flick, urging her faster as the sound of a twig breaking rang strong in his ears. He looked to Genesis and sighed, noting how longingly Genesis was looking at the lantern. "Try lighting it again?"

Genesis nodded and struck another match, frowning as it refused to light. "It's still no use. Cid screwed us by drenching the wick."  
Reno nodded and frowned as Bethany began going faster than he had initially intended. He tugged back on the reins softly, but she continued moving faster. He felt his pulse quicken as he started to panic. "Dammit, Genesis, get the lantern lit somehow! Something has Bethany spooked."

"That something would be me."

Reno nearly jumped out of his skin and Genesis quickly brought his gun to eye-level, pointing it at the scarlet haired vampire perched on the top of the cage. Genesis made an attempt to fire, but the vampire simply pushed the barrel of his rifle aside with her foot and watched the bullet wiz past. "How rude, I haven't even introduced myself."

"No need!" Genesis frowned and tried to aim his gun properly, frustration growing as the scarlet vampire continued to disrupt his shot at the last minute. "Godsdamn you, bitch! Stop fucking with my gun!"

"Keep your voice down, my pet." The vampire smiled, her red eyes boring into Genesis' aqua ones. "You don't want to get caught, do you?"

Genesis frowned and paused long enough to reload his gun. "Dammit, Reno, why aren't you shooting!"

"Because she hasn't killed us yet." Reno shrugged and let his gun stay on his lap. "Besides, I have questions."

"See? At least one of you knows a decent vampire when you see one." The vampire smiled and gently pet Reno's hair, infuriating Genesis further by setting crimson lips against his cheek.

Reno frowned and wiped the kiss from his face. "You don't have the right hair color to be as terrible as the others."

"True, but don't let that fool you, darling, I'm still vicious." The vampire chuckled and crossed her slender legs, letting her thin red dress slide up her thighs.

Genesis frowned and set his gun in his lap, unconvinced. "Why are you here if you don't want to kill us?"  
"Oh, don't get me wrong, darling, I want to kill you," The vampire bared her thin fangs with a laugh. "but Rosso knows that her master would never forgive her for taking a human life."

"And your master is?" Reno raised an eyebrow. He was getting sick of everyone referring to the head of each vampire clan as Master. He wanted actual names.

"You'll meet him soon enough. Our home is your goal, yes?" Rosso slid painted nails through Reno's hair.

"That depends, who told you to follow us?" Genesis frowned, hoping the answer was anyone other than Yuffie or Tseng. He very badly wanted to shoot the bitch.

"The Master asked me to when Tseng did not return home with Yuffie as promised." Rosso let Reno's hair waterfall through her fingers.

Reno frowned, not sure why Rosso seemed to be intent on touching him, but deciding to ignore it because ignoring it made Genesis' brow furrow deeply. It made him smile to see Genesis so upset, but he wasn't sure why that made him so happy. "So you're from the clan we're going to then."

"I am not from them, but I am of them." Rosso frowned as the cage bumped. "Control your beast; it is going the wrong direction. It needs to head west."

"What do you mean, you're of them?" Genesis frowned as Reno made adjustments to Bethany's course.

"I mean just that. I'm a part of their clan, but I am not from their ranks. I am originally from the ranks of the other clan. I have since switched sides." Rosso added the last part quickly as Genesis made to lift his gun.

"Why did you switch?" Reno raised an eyebrow.

"They wanted to change me more than I had already been changed. Becoming a vampire once it heartache enough, it is worse to become an even purer vampire. Besides, I would not have such gorgeous hair if I had allowed them to slip more of their toxins into me." Rosso ran her fingers through her thick crimson hair, giving Reno a chance to put his back the way he wanted it.

"So, in other words, your vanity won out?" Genesis raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, if you wish to be that blunt and cruel about it." Rosso frowned and examined her nails, her eyes focused on a thin chip in the paint with distaste. "So, darlings, this brings me to my next question; where are Tseng and Yuffie?"

"No idea." Reno shrugged softly. "We assumed they were with your group again."

Rosso frowned and looked to Genesis. "And you?"

"I don't know either." Genesis frowned, now truly concerned over Rosso's presence. "But why did you come to us instead of looking for them directly?"

"Because, darling, Tseng told us about you and your little problem. Master asked him to bring him more information about you when he returned next so that we may prepare, but as Tseng has disappeared he has sent me instead." Rosso took the reins from Reno's limp hands and turned Bethany in a different direction, "I am not so easily disappeared as Tseng."

Genesis shivered at the threatening tone that accompanied her last sentence, taking into consideration the idea that she might think that Tseng had met a foul end at their hands. "So what do you need to know?"

"If you have the information, my first need is to know where Tseng is, darling." Rosso guided Bethany through the thickening woods, her crimson nails gleaming in the moonlight as her fingers curled around the reins.

"We already said we don't know." Reno frowned, head whipping around as he heard a twig snap in the distance.

"Then my next question is what do you want?" Rosso looked towards the crack Reno had heard and frowned, her thin red brows touching and forming a bridge over her eyes.

"I need a cure. I can't handle being a werewolf any longer." Genesis watched in the same direction that all heads but Bethany's were now turned towards.

"The only known cure lies inside your gun, darling." Rosso laughed the sound melodic and beautiful, sending chills down Reno's spine as he felt her words slide down his ears like cold water.

Genesis bristled. "That's a fate I'm trying to avoid."

"Why avoid the inevitable? Either you'll be shot in your lupine form or you'll shoot yourself in your human form or your companion will shoot you as he dies at your clawed hands. All roads lead to your own demise, darling. As do all roads. At this point you only choose how long the road you walk will be." Rosso frowned at another crack. "We shall have more questions later, darling. Right now it seems I have given you lovelies away. Do as I say and you shall likely live."

"Likely?" Reno frowned, sitting up straight and glaring into the darkness, wishing his eyes were strong enough to see the tiny glints of silver he knew he should be seeing.

"I can only guarantee you a chance, darlings. You'll need to follow my instructions." Rosso let go of the reins and stood on top of the cage, her scarlet dress sliding down to pool at her feet.

Genesis frowned and made sure his gun was loaded. "How about I just shoot them and get it over with?"

"That obviously worked on me, now didn't it?" Rosso laughed and slid her nails through her hair. "Yazoo, Loz, show yourselves, darlings. I've found you out."

Reno took the reins and frowned. "You're inviting them to us!"

"Of course, darlings. I have a feeling they can answer my first question." Rosso set her hands on her hips.

Yazoo was first to show himself, alighting on the top of the cage seemingly from nowhere and bowing at Rosso mockingly. "Rosso, long time no see. Still in love with that color, hmm?"

"Always, darling." Rosso smiled, her pointed fangs slipping over her lower lip as she did. "And you're still a mindless puppet, hmm?"

"Puppet yes, mindless no." Yazoo straightened and flipped his long hair over one shoulder. "I need the wolf and his treat."

"As do I, darling. You'll have to win them from me." Rosso adjusted her long dress casually.

"That won't be too hard, will it? After all, I've got Loz with me." Yazoo smiled and pointed to Loz as the large vampire climbed onto the cage, an odd package held tight in one thick hand.

"What's that you've got, Loz? It seems interesting." Rosso glanced at Loz, her attention fixed on the item in his hand.

"It's a wonderful little tool, Rosso." Yazoo grinned, taking the package from Loz. "See, we fetched it when we realized our prey had another predator after them. Want to see how it works?"

"No, not now that I understand what you've brought." Rosso took a few steps back, gesturing for Reno to urge Bethany onward.

Reno needed no second glance to be sure that he understood what Rosso wanted and quickly urged Bethany to a run, hoping it would topple all three vampires off of his cage. He was sick of vampires.

"Oh, but you said it interested you. Surely you must want to know exactly how it works. After all, it is the only thing in this world that will turn Rosso the crimson pale as a sheet." Yazoo opened the package carefully, his thin fingers undoing the twine and paper trappings.

"No! No! I don't want to see it! Mercy, Yazoo!" Rosso was shaking, her face ashen and pale. Genesis didn't want to know what was in the package either. He was itching to shoot the silver-haired bastards but knew he wouldn't be able to get a clear shot, especially not with the cage jerking and shaking the way it was. The last thing he wanted was to shoot them and have the ricochet catch Reno, Bethany, or himself.

"Oh, but Rosso! You need to know how it works! After all, you're the one who built the prototype. It's only fair I show you how I perfected your invention." Yazoo slid the package open, letting the wrappings get carted away by the wind. The device was small, perhaps only a foot long, and it was strange. Yazoo held carefully to the thin metal handle that pronged off near the end, a large silver ball trapped between the prongs. A crank extended over the top of the ball and Yazoo grasped it as well, grinning as his gloved fingers wrapped around the leather covered piece. "Good bye, Rosso."

Rosso gave an earsplitting shriek and leapt towards Reno and Genesis in fear as Yazoo turned the crank, opening one side of the silver ball and letting loose a pearl of blinding yellow light that he and Loz quickly looked away from as it sped towards Rosso, catching her mid leap and burrowing into her spine. Reno stared in horror as Rosso landed on him, her body twitching and jerking as the light disintegrated her thin and shapely form, turning her to ash that covered him and coated the inside of his nostrils and throat as he took a panicked breath. Loz leapt down and wrenched the reins from his grasp, guiding Bethany without a hint of remorse for how hard he tugged the reigns to get her to turn in the direction he wanted.

Reno shook, coughing and hacking on the chokingly thick dust of Rosso. He tried to back away from the large vampire, fumbling with his gun as he struggled for a decent breath, but nearly toppled from the cage to be crushed underneath. His rifle dashed against the moist mossy floor of the forest as it flew below the cage, the gun quickly being drawn from his vision as he dangled from the driver's seat of his cage. He struggled to right himself as he heard Genesis begin shooting, watching as the bullets whizzed through his vision and slammed into unsuspecting trees, leaving the two vampires unscathed.

Loz reached down and pulled him upright by the front of his shirt, his thick fingers tugging at Reno's bandages and pulling a loud hiss from his dry, dust-filled mouth. "Stop fighting us, Genesis. You're only going to force my hand and make me kill one of you."

Reno shook and tried to peel Loz's hand away from him, only succeeding in making the vampire laugh. He could see Genesis struggling to shoot Yazoo while the thin vampire dodged and danced away from the bullets gracefully. Genesis was fuming with rage and pale with fear; it seemed killing Yazoo was his only focus.

Loz reached across Genesis' front and snapped the barrel off the gun, ending Genesis' attempts to slay his comrade. "Knock it off. You're just wasting them anyways."

Genesis frowned, noting that he was indeed out of bullets now. There were more in the cage, but that didn't do him much good when the cage was locked and moving at a crazed pace. Loz might have pulled Bethany under his control, but he was still letting her sprint through the woods at breakneck speeds. He felt sorrow for Reno's poor horse as he looked over his shoulder at her, noting that the foam flying from her panting maw was red with blood that flowed from the corners where Loz had pulled metal through tender flesh. "What do you want?" He had half a mind to try and pummel Loz with the remaining portion of his rifle, but he knew that wouldn't work.

"You, of course." Yazoo smiled and knelt beside Genesis, caressing his odd weapon lovingly. "If you won't come quietly, I can show you what happens when I turn this crank to the left instead of the right."

Genesis shuddered and gripped what was left of his rifle. "I don't think I want to cooperate with you. You just killed one of your own and I know you want to kill us too."

"Kill you? Oh, no, darling." Yazoo sneered as he mimicked Rosso, letting his thin fangs dip over his lower lip the same way she had. "Master wants you alive, so I want you alive."

"Tell your master I decline his invitation and any offers he wants to give me." Genesis frowned, snatching a glance at Reno as the red-head struggled with Loz's firm grip, thin roses of blood blossoming on his shirt. "Let go of Reno."

Loz watched Reno's wound open and spill over the fabric, his eyes hungry. Reno tried to pry Loz's fingers apart to free the bandage caught between them that pulled at his scabs and made his chest bleed. Each breath hurt as the wound reopened, his coughing only making the pain worse and the blood flow faster. "L-let go!"

Yazoo gave his weapon a tap as Loz griped Reno tighter. "Loz, remember what Master said. Bring them back alive at any cost. If that means I have to turn against you because you can't control yourself then so be it."

Loz seemed to regain some of his composure at Yazoo's words. Despite that he still focused his gaze on Reno's chest, he had the restraint to let go of Reno and let the red-head slump forward in pain. "R-right. My apologies, Yazoo."

Yazoo nodded and turned to Genesis, lovingly caressing his odd tool of destruction. "Would you like to see what happens when I turn the crank to the right?"

"Not particularly, no." Genesis frowned, watching Yazoo's thin fingers run over the spotless metal orb.

"No? Come now, surely with all this fighting you're doing you must want to know how I can punish you for it." Yazoo gripped the crank, the corners of his lips pulling up in a wicked smile. He turned the crank.

Reno shook and looked up as a thick, vicious stream of light seeped into the air slowly. It seemed slow to Reno, but in reality it only took seconds for it to slide into Genesis' chest and rip a distorted howl of pain from his throat. Reno watched in horror as Genesis' face contorted, no it shifted, in pain. Genesis' very bones began to slide forward in his face and his pained howl became dual toned as the light spread under his skin, hair sprouting out where it touched. Reno shook in terror as Genesis was soon replaced by a foul and hairy creature that he had hoped not to meet again.

* * *

**Author's Note: Yeah, I'm ending the chapter here. I'm only ending it here because 5000 words are more than enough for an update! Plus; we all know I like cliffhangers. It took me months to write this, by the way. I've neglected almost all my other pieces just to try and make this one cooperate with me. Hopefully it was worth it! I'll try and update everything else now.**


	17. Chapter 17

Reno shook with terror and watched as Genesis disappeared, the werewolf that had taken his place howling with pain and rage as its transformation completed. Reno's head swam as Loz hopped off of the cage with him, the large vampire's arms wrapping around his chest tightly to hold him still. The large vampire ran Reno off into the woods, seeming hell-bent on getting Reno away from Genesis. Reno gasped for air and tried to hold back the tears of pain that leaked at his eyes, his entire body going limp as he gave up his pitiful attempts to struggle and focused on breathing. His injured chest was preventing him from breathing right and, as Loz carelessly dragged him through some underbrush and let trees slap his face and leave small, paper thin slices on his cheeks, Reno decided that he wanted nothing more than to pass out. However, he knew if he passed out he might stop breathing altogether; as it was breathing required his undivided attention.

Loz didn't stop until they had reached Cid's house and Reno let out a choked cry when Loz dumped him on the floor inside the cabin. "Ouch! W-what was th-that for?"

Loz slammed the door shut. "That was for being difficult. Don't worry, Yazoo will be back with your friend soon and then we can all go see Master."

Reno propped himself up on his elbows and panted for air, his lungs half-starved. "W-what about Be-Bethany?"

Loz raised an eyebrow. "Who's Bethany?"

"M-my horse." Reno wiped his face free of dust, wondering why Loz had brought him back to Cid's house.

"Oh, that thing. We can probably use it for something. Might just eat it." Loz plucked Reno off the floor and dragged him off, none too gentle.

Reno struggled against Loz's hold, sick of being carted around like a rag doll. "Get off! You better not eat Bethany she's my fucking horse!" Reno wanted to punch himself. He was more worried about Bethany getting hurt than about Genesis or even himself. It was a problem that most people would consider a flaw in his character, but he loved Bethany more than anything else. He couldn't really help himself.

"Stop with the struggling. There's not much you can do." Loz sat Reno in a chair in the cluttered kitchen, knocking everything from the table with a swipe of his arm.

Reno panted in pain and held his chest. "You expect me to give up so damn easy? Screw you!"

Loz yanked Reno from his chair and slammed his back on the table, knocking the wind out of him. "I expect you to shut up. I'm not just going to let that blood go to waste, so sit still and bleed for me." Loz tore his shirt open and ripped away the bandages, staring at Reno's bloody chest with greed glowing in his thin green eyes.

Reno tried desperately to regain control of his breathing, but he had scarcely pulled enough air into his lungs to fill them when Loz's tongue ran over his inflamed wound and ripped a scream from his throat. Reno writhed in pain and tried to shove Loz away, but the vampire ignored his punching and pulling hands as if they were little more than mosquito bites. The pain was blistering; Loz's thin tongue was digging into his chest and lapping up his blood like a dog laps up water. Reno was in so much pain that he could hardly stand it. He kept beating at Loz's face weakly, pain sapping strength from his arms until it was all he could do to lift them off the table. His eyes were blurring out of focus and with each beat of his struggling heart he could feel Loz's tongue dig deeper into his slashes.

Just as Reno was about to pass out, the door was flung open and Yazoo entered with a menacing growl. "Dammit, Loz, I told you not to!"

Loz pulled away and wiped his mouth. "What was I supposed to do, let it go to waste?"

"Yes! You were supposed to tie him up here and then help me get Genesis! You moron! I even lost that damned horse and buggy because of you! Now he'll find it in the morning and he'll have clothing, money, and transportation! We were supposed to leave him stranded and helpless!" Yazoo slapped Loz hard, his beautiful face contorted with rage. "Never leave me with the grunt work again! Especially not for a few drops of blood!"

Loz rubbed his cheek, frowning. "You know he smelled irresistible. Besides, we can lure Genesis to Master with him. It's not all bad."

Yazoo slapped Loz again. "It is that bad! That one looks half dead! How much did you drink?"

"I don't know…" Loz looked down, cupping his stinging face in his hands.

Yazoo frowned and shoved Loz away. "Go be useful and cover the damned windows. We're going to have to spend the day here now. It's too close to sunrise to start moving around."

"Yes, Yazoo. I'm sorry, Yazoo." Loz walked off and, had Reno been more than semi-conscious, he would have sworn that he could hear Loz crying.

Yazoo stalked over to Reno and lifted him off the table, his face still dark with anger. "Come on, tasty one, let's go fix you up."

Reno shook weakly and tried to protest. "Let me g-go."

"No, I don't think I will." Yazoo laid Reno on a bed, the same bed he had left only a few hours ago. Reno could practically taste irony as Yazoo set him down and used the sheets he had cuddled with Genesis in to bandage up his chest. "I need answers from you, so you stay awake. Understood?"

"F-fuck you. I'm passin' out." Reno closed his eyes, hell-bent on making things hard for his captors however he could.

Yazoo frowned and dug a long finger into Reno's sensitive scar, seeming to enjoy the scream he got in return. "No, you're staying awake."

Reno gasped and sobbed in pain, "O-okay! I'm awake! I'll be awake! T-take your finger out! I-it hurts!"

"I think I'll keep it here until you're done answering my questions." Yazoo wiggled his finger, staring down at Reno with cold, hateful eyes. "Where is Cid?"

Reno cried and tried to push Yazoo's hand away. "I-I don't know!"

"Don't lie. Where did he go?" Yazoo twisted his finger.

Reno wailed and screamed in pain. "HE DIDN'T SAY HE JUST WENT THE OTHER WAY!"

Yazoo nodded and pulled his finger out. "I'll believe that."

Reno sobbed, hugging himself to try and cover his chest as Yazoo licked his bloody finger clean. His body burned with pain and his eyes were still unfocused and blurry. The entire world seemed to be tilted on an axis as he stared at the wall, noting that the portraits Cid had nailed to it were rocking back and forth under his gaze. He was sure that the wall wasn't actually moving, but he couldn't make it stop pitching back and forth. Yazoo hovered over him and frowned. "You smell like the damned wolf. I can't stand it."

"I-I don't even know what you're t-talking about!" Reno felt a strong urge to vomit as the room rocked forward and he closed his eyes, trying to mask the sensation that his frantic heartbeat was moving not just him, but the entire room.

Yazoo frowned. "Of course you don't. You can't smell it. Don't worry, tasty one, we can still fix you."

"Just get off!" Reno kept his eyes squeezed shut, his stomach churning.

"After I fix you, I'll leave you alone." Yazoo pressed Reno's back against the bed and bent over his wound.

Reno's eyes shot open and he grabbed Yazoo's hair, tugging it violently in panic. Yazoo was going to bite him. That was what he meant when he said he was going to fix him. Reno didn't want to be bitten. He wanted nothing to do with vampirism. He didn't want to be a vampire, he didn't want to be eaten by a vampire, he wanted nothing to do with them; and yet he was now in grave danger of being forced into being one.

Yazoo grabbed Reno's wrists and growled, pinning them against the sheets with ease. "Touch my hair again and I'll let Loz eat you. Understood?"

Reno shook with fear, too scared to move again. Yazoo wasn't going to bite him? What? What was Yazoo going to do?

Yazoo's thin lips curled back to reveal pearly white fangs, each glistening in the darkness of the room. Reno watched in horror as Yazoo hovered over his wound, his fangs beginning to leak a clear substance at the tips. Reno watched as the drops formed and fell, unable to repress a scream of pain as they touched his torn apart flesh. The pain was past his tolerance and Reno, thankfully, passed out.

* * *

**Author's Note: I don't think I wrote this chapter as well as I've written the previous ones…but I'm having trouble with this story lately and I know that if I don't start forcing myself to update this then I won't ever finish it. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this and is reading it, I apologize for my inconsistency with updating.**


	18. Chapter 18

The moon hovered over the treetops, suspended on a strand of blue painted clouds. The sky turned grey under the brilliant light of the half-filled face of the moon, each nearby cloud turning a dusky blue grey as it flowed over the moon's rays. Genesis howled and raged at the moon, unable to stop himself as he watched it sink lower. His beast was starting to lose its grip on him, freeing his mind so that he could reflect and regret what his other had done. There was dried blood caked onto the thin fur of his muzzle, it smelled like goat blood but Genesis couldn't be sure, he hadn't seen the animal die. His ragged claws had dried gore mixed with mud caked beneath them and the beast scratched dried gore off his muzzle with them, urged to do so by the unbearable itch the dried fluids created.

Genesis watched the moon as long as the beast allowed his eyes to turn towards it, but a small scuffle heard to their left a few minutes later interrupted the beast's rare moment of patience with him and they were off again, chasing after something that Genesis didn't look at so as to spare his conscience.

When Genesis woke up, hours later, he was lying naked on a rock. He was covered in blood, but the sound of running water nearby led him to a small brook where he washed away the evidence of the previous night's rendezvous with his inner demon. As he scrubbed at his skin, he shook with cold and fear. How had that bead of light changed him? He had never been as aware of the beast's actions as he had been the night before. Normally he didn't become aware until he woke up naked and alone somewhere. Last night, however, he had been semi-aware the entire time. He hadn't been in control of anything, but, had he wanted to, he could have watched the entire night through the beast's eyes.

Genesis stood, his skin coated in goose bumps. He tried to figure out where he was, but there were no landmarks to distinguish the forest around him from any other forest in the world. His only choice was to stagger off and hope he was headed towards civilization.

As Genesis walked on shaking legs, he felt his heart grow cold with sorrow as he realized that Reno was gone. Perhaps some of the blood that had covered him had belonged to Reno? No, he couldn't think like that. The vampires wanted them both so they wouldn't let him kill Reno. Come to think of it, how had Genesis gotten away at all? They should have been able to catch him easily; there were two vampires to chase him! The odds had been against him, yet somehow he had managed to escape with his life. He wished he had been able to shoot the bastards when he had the chance, but he was a lousy shot. He needed to work on that once he got a chance.

Genesis blinked as he stumbled upon a clearing filled with tents, his heart breaking with relief as he recognized the shabbiest tent in the flock. "Elmyra…"

* * *

Reno blinked awake, his entire body stiff and sore. He groaned and sat up, gingerly inspecting himself for damage. He knew Yazoo had done something horrible, he just wasn't sure what. He didn't want to start his examination with his chest, so he worked his way over his body, starting with his legs and working his way up. When he finally reached his chest, he stared at horror. It was all he could do. There was no bleeding, gaping wound, but there were thick white scars across his chest where Genesis' beast's claws had ripped open his chest. Reno touched the spots and shivered at the alien feel. The scars were freezing cold and smooth; a stark contrast to what had been there the night before.

Reno shook and looked around the room, noting the boarded over windows that were mostly hidden by thick curtains. Yazoo and Loz seemed to be taking no chances with the sunlight. At that thought, Reo began wondering where his captors even were. Shouldn't he be under some form of surveillance? He was a prisoner after all. He stood and made a move to uncover the windows. If they were going to leave him alone, he might as well use the unsupervised time to try and make his escape. He quickly found out where his captors were at. As soon as he had grabbed hold of the curtains and thrown them open, the door was flung open and he was tossed back onto the bed roughly. Reno yelped as he was tossed like a ragdoll, his head hitting the headboard with a loud crack. He rubbed the back of his head and glared at Loz, noting with displeasure that the boards were keeping out the light very well. "What the hell!"

"Don't. Touch. The. Windows. Understand?" Loz frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Screw you, Loz, I'll touch what I want!" Reno sat up and frowned.

"No, you won't. Not if you want to be awake for the rest of your stay with us. I will knock you out if you keep being difficult." Loz took a threatening step towards Reno and the red-head scooted back along the bed.

"Alright, geez! Go away!" Reno frowned pulled his knees up to his chest.

Loz nodded, satisfied, and left. Once the door was shut and Reno heard the lock click shut he was moving again. Since the curtains were already open, his job was much easier. He just had to find something to pry the boards open with or bash them in. There weren't any tools in the room, but Reno was able to find something to eat. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until he spotted the loaf of bread and small crock of butter that the vampire duo must have left out for him. The food was likely part of what was left in Cid's quickly abandoned house and Reno ate it ravenously, making a mental note to ask Cid how he made his bread the next time he saw him.

After he finished his small meal, Reno began poking around his room again. He peered through the keyhole to find that the key was still jammed into it, which meant he would have trouble picking the lock so his only real escape would be out the window. He went back to the window on tip-toe and frowned at the boards, noting how well the vampires had secured them to the windowsill. He went back to the bed and looked under it, hoping that Cid had something tucked beneath it; the paranoid man had to have a gun or something! His hopes were left unanswered, however, as the bed only had a few old bunched up socks beneath it and a dead mouse. Reno wrinkled his nose and stood back up, looking at the window with a frown. He had to get sunlight into the room. If he didn't, he had the distinct fear that he wouldn't see it again. The vampires were resting for the day, but that night who knew where they would take him? He didn't know and he didn't want to know.

Reno sighed and grabbed the chair sitting in front of the desk. He had no idea how strong the boards the vampires had used were, but the chair was the only throw-able thing he had available. He braced himself for a beating as he swung the chair back and crashed it into the boarded window, hearing the glass on the other side of the boards shatter as the chair in his hands fell the pieces.

* * *

Genesis sat in Elmyra's tent, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Elmyra was busily making him tea as one of her men searched for clothing that would fit him. Genesis was disgusted by how many young men waited on Elmyra hand and foot begging to be called the old woman's lover. It made him want to puke. Elmyra's many bracelets clinked and chimed as she poured him thick brown tea, her bony arms shaking softly and showing her age. She sat, her hunched back making her seem much smaller and weaker than she was, but her voice was strong when she addressed him over her tea. "Well, what happened?"

Genesis sighed and sipped his tea, wrinkling his nose at the hot, unsweetened earthy taste. He explained everything that had happened since he had left her camp, leaving no failure or triumph unmentioned. Elmyra would only help him if he kept nothing hidden from her. When he finished she was on her third mug of tea and his first mug was growing cold. She looked at him with her age clouded eyes and laughed, causing his hair to stand on the back of his neck. He stood and tossed the mug on the floor, his emotions still volatile after the night he had had. "Don't laugh at me!"

"I can't help it, Genesis!" Elmyra chortled, her wispy hair coming undone as she mocked his pain.

"Then I'm leaving!" Genesis dropped the blanket that covered his nudity and stomped towards the entrance of the tent, running headlong into one of Elmyra's men.

"Sit your ass back down, Genesis, and for Gaia's sake cover yourself! What do you think this is a brothel?" Elmyra chuckled and set down her tea. "Sit and I will explain why I laughed at your tale."

Genesis turned and scooped them blanket back up, covering himself up and sitting across from Elmyra again. He frowned at her, his temper still flaring. "Well?"

"That boy, Reno, I've already met him. It's strange how my fortune has come true, is it not? I'm the one who gave him those tattoos." Elmyra laughed to herself.

"I knew that already." Genesis frowned. "Your handiwork isn't hard to spot."

"Well, he's got some protection now, so be thankful for my handiwork." Elmyra reached into her robes and pulled out a thick purple bag, dumping a pile of yellowed bones covered in symbols Genesis didn't care to understand.

Genesis frowned and moved his cup, knowing that she would need a clear space to cast her bones on. "Do you really think some lines on his face will protect him?"

"They kept you from killing him, didn't they?" Elmyra folded the bones into her strong, withered hands and began muttering over them in a language Genesis couldn't comprehend, the strange words sounding like a mangled, choking prayer.

Genesis frowned skeptically, nodding at the large gypsy consort of Elmyra's that set a stack of clothing beside him. There was no actual proof that the tattoos had had anything to do with Reno not getting killed, but since he hadn't died yet Elmyra would insist that it was by her doing and the blessing of the Flamekeeper. Genesis tugged on the clothes that were brought to him and waited for Elmyra to finish her reading, which was taking longer than it normally took her.

When Elmyra finally lifted her head from the bones and looked at Genesis. "There is nothing here that I haven't seen for you before. You have many, many years ahead of you, but how you will spend them is not clear. Imprisonment is very apparent, but I know not if it would be imprisonment by the vampires or imprisonment in that cage or imprisonment in your own body. Your life is so long that it is heard to read your fate."

"Then this is useless, Elmyra. I need to know where Reno is, not what I'll do for the rest of my life!" Genesis frowned.

Elmyra rolled her eyes, waving away his complaints with a flick of her wrist as she gathered up her bones. "Go to the vampires. Follow their scent. I know you hate to use those extra senses your beast gives you but they will lead you to your friend and the horse you lost and the enemies you seek."

Genesis sighed and stood. "I hate to use it, it's true, but I'll stomach the nausea if I have to. Thanks for the tea and the clothes."

"It's no problem." Elmyra nodded and tucked her wispy hair into her veil. "Oh, let Reno know that Aerith and Zackary are safe, yes? When they passed through for a visit they seemed rather distressed, but they are on their way to the coast and they will keep in touch with the estate so that when he returns they will know."

"And if he doesn't return?" Genesis raised an eyebrow, his hand on the flap of the tent, ready to push it open.

"Aerith will know if he dies and will respond accordingly, I'm sure." Elmyra chuckled softly and grinned evilly at Genesis. "Don't let him die, his brother knows what you are now and I'm sure he wouldn't take kindly to you letting his only sibling die."

"Noted." Genesis pushed open the tent and stalked out of the camp, opening his senses grudgingly and sniffing the air. He walked a ways and then stopped, smiling softly as Bethany's scent drifted into his nose. He started running, ready to go to his friend's rescue.

* * *

Reno beamed as a thin white stripe of sunlight slipped through the boards, little pieces of black painted glass falling out from under the window and onto the floor where the shattered chair lay. He grabbed a leg of the busted chair and began bashing the boards where the sunlight was sliding through, his hopes for escape bubbling up in his chest. Within a few seconds of breaking the glass, however, Reno was tossed against the bed again and a very angry Yazoo was snapping the curtains shut.

Yazoo growled softly, a small burn visible on his marble-toned skin when he turned around. "You dumb asshole!"  
Reno sat up and glared at Yazoo. "Takes one to know one!"

Yazoo slapped Reno, a slap that he considered light, but one that was hard enough to bring tears to Reno's eyes and to leave an immediate bruise. "Do you not appreciate what I've done for you?"

Reno held his burning cheek, his eyes welling with tears. "Y-you mean kidnapping me? Course not!"  
Yazoo frowned and ran a long cold finger down Reno's scarred chest. "No, I healed you!"

Reno looked down at his chest and shook softly. Yazoo's hand was cold on the pale, human flesh that it touched, but warm on the thick white scars that stuck out like long white flags on his chest. "That skin is wrong! Its…Its wrong! What did you do?"  
"I made that part of your chest vampire flesh. It's an improvement really." Yazoo traced fingers over the scars. "Would you have preferred that I let Loz eat you?"

"No." Reno shuddered and scooted back on the bed.

"I'd stop trying to escape if I were you. Now that there's some vampire in you, you won't be able to stomach the sunlight." Yazoo stood and went back to the window, standing to the side of it as he ripped the curtains open and pulled a board down with ease.

Reno yelped as the light brushed across his chest, the rest of his skin feeling normal in the bright sunny warmth. He rolled out of the path of the light, panting in shock as his scarred chest burned.

Yazoo laughed and stepped out of the room. "Don't try escaping or I'll hold you at gunpoint and force you to sit in the light until you can't bear it."

Reno shook and touched his chest gingerly as Yazoo left, the curtain still open wide and the board discarded on the floor. He stood and tried to walk across the room to the door, getting to the sunlit patch in the middle of the room and gasping in pain, backing away quickly. The light burned his chest and he knelt on the floor, holding himself. He swore and yelled at the doorway that Yazoo hadn't even bothered to shut. "You asshole!" He could hear the laughing in the other room and he stood to do something about the cheeky assholes, but the burn across his chest was too painful and he was bent double with pain as soon as he attempted to stand. He choked back a few tears and lay where he had landed. He slid his arm into the light and watched a few motes of dust float around above his skin. He stared at his skin and memorized every pore on it. He realized now what they were going to try to do to him. They were going to turn him into a vampire or keep him as a feeding trough. He was going to lose his humanity either way. If Genesis didn't get to him and save him, he was going to end up dead or worse. He wished he had asked Cid more detailed questions about how he had escaped the vampire's stronghold, but wishing wasn't going to help him at all now. He was pretty sure the tattoos Elmyra had given him were worthless and he was also pretty sure that, even if the Flamekeeper existed, he didn't give two damns about whether or not Reno had protection from him or not.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry this update took so long, Reno and Genesis wouldn't cooperate with the pain I was trying to put them through. I can't blame them, but they do need to man up!**


	19. Chapter 19

The vibrant orange light of the evening sun played across Genesis' face as he sat in the driver's seat of the cage, his hands gripping the thick reins that let him steer Bethany's head from side to side. He had found the horse lying beside the stream he and Reno had camped at only a few days before. Her mouth was coated in cuts and tears from where the bit had pulled against her delicate flesh and Genesis had done what he could to try and make her more comfortable. There had been a bottle of salve in the cart that Aerith had sent for use on Reno's wounds and Genesis had dabbed it across Bethany's muzzle. The horse had seemed appreciative, but since Genesis wasn't very sure how to read her emotions she could have been annoyed by him too. Genesis liked to think, however, that Bethany was comforted by his presence.

Genesis steered the cage, unsure of where he was going exactly, but since his augmented senses had led him to Bethany, he was sure they would lead him to Reno as well. He hated tapping into the darker side of his mind, the side where his beast lay, but in the daylight it wasn't as frightening to explore the unwanted strengths and abilities his other half gave him. He might have weakened the beast with years of chugging potions made to kill it, but it still had strength to lend him.

Genesis looked out across the grassy field and laughed at himself as he realized where he must be headed. How could he have not realized his destination before? He flicked Bethany's reigns and urged her to go faster, pulling the pistol he had fetched from the cage into his lap. He opened it and peeked inside, smirking softly at the silver glinting inside each chamber. It burned his hand to hold the pistol, he had changed so recently that he was still susceptible to the wretched metal, but he held it in his hand anyways, ready to wreak havoc on Reno's captors. He didn't have a lot of time before the sun sank below the horizon and removed all chances of saving Reno from harm, but he did his best not to think about that. He would do what he could in the time that he had; it was his only option.

* * *

Reno grabbed a sheet off the bed, wrapping it around his chest to shield it from the thin light seeping in through the window. He sighed in relief as the burning pain lessened and kept his back to the window, holding the sheet around himself. He scooted towards the door quietly, hoping that Yazoo wouldn't keep his threat and force him to stay in the light. He didn't want to be tortured. He shut the door and blinked hard as he was enveloped by the darkness Yazoo and Loz had created, the hair on the back of his neck rising. There was candlelight visible at the base of the stairs, but not much of it. He was in enemy territory now and he had nothing to defend himself with. The light had been his one weapon and Yazoo had taken it from him. He crept down the stairs, his thick boots making more noise than he wanted them to as the clipped and creaked on the wooden planks Cid had laid down by hand years ago. He paid attention to every breath he took, his heart pounding loud enough in his half vampire chest to get the attention of any hungry beast. He turned the corner towards the kitchen, his hopes of going unnoticed dashed to bits.

Yazoo lounged in a chair, his feet propped up on the table. He languidly turned his head, noticing Reno and chuckling softly. "You're too courageous for your own good, aren't you?"

"Courage isn't exactly what made me try to run the hell away. More like fear." Reno held the sheet tightly to his chest, his legs refusing to move despite repeated commands from his brain to run and run quickly. The door was only ten steps away, less if Reno could stretch his gait out farther, but the four seconds it would take Reno to get to the door was more than enough time for Yazoo to ruin his attempts to save himself.

"No, those who are merely fearful sit and wait for someone to save them. Those who are courageous save themselves. It doesn't mean you can't be scared, it just means you won't act let fear control you." Yazoo stretched a gloved hand towards Reno, his palm facing upwards. "Give me the sheet."

Reno gripped the sheet tighter, it was his only defense against the light and he wasn't about to give it up. "I'd rather keep it, thanks."

"That wasn't a request, Reno." Yazoo's hand remained extended, his voice saccharine sweet. The cloying sweetness of Yazoo's voice made Reno want to beat the vampire senseless.

Reno kept his grip on the sheet and took a step back. The one step took all Reno's willpower to take and he felt his knees lock once he had finished it. "Who said it was?"

Yazoo chuckled and stood; the motion fluid and graceful. His long hair swung behind him, following the arc of his movements as he slowly crossed the room. "You've mistaken my comment on your courage as encouragement to continue being conrageous. While I admire your spirit, Reno, I'd rather you stop resisting and give up already. An underdog struggling his way to victory is only entertaining in books. In real life it is a laughable waste of the underdog's time." Yazoo stopped in front of Reno and held his hand out; his green eyes burning and demanding obedience even as his smile touched them and crinkled their corners in a jovial fashion. "Give me the sheet."

Reno's hands shook as he stared into Yazoo's cat-like green eyes. He tried to keep his grip on the sheet, but felt himself unwrapping it even as he tried to force his hands to stay still. Terror got the best of him and he set the sheet in Yazoo's hand without a word.

"Good boy." Yazoo smiled, tossing the sheet onto the table. He reached his hand out and gripped Reno's chin, a grip he considered light that Reno felt would break his jaw. "Was that so hard?"

Pain jolted Reno into action and he reached up, prying at Yazoo's hand to try and save his jaw from breaking. He could almost feel Yazoo's grip shoving his teeth closer together. He slapped at Yazoo's face when the vampire refused to let go, regretting the action instantly. Yazoo gripped the wrist used to attack him and transferred his hold from Reno's jaw to his neck. His eyes burned but his voice was still so sickeningly soft and sweet that Reno wanted to rip his throat out. "Apparently it was."

Reno choked and tried to pry Yazoo's hand away from his neck with his free hand. He got nowhere with his efforts. He felt his lungs burn as more air left them than Reno could pull back in. He kicked and fought as hard as he could, but without air his feeble attempts were soon discarded as he concentrated on breathing instead of beating. He almost blacked out before Yazoo released him with a snort.

Reno crumpled to the ground at Yazoo's feet, gasping for air. Yazoo watched him pant and cough, his voice dripping sweetness as Reno refilled his starved lungs. "You don't learn lessons the first time, do you?"

Reno looked up at Yazoo, his anger beginning to outweigh his fear. How could he not be angry at Yazoo's mocking tone? It boiled the blood in his veins until steam came out his ears. "Shut up!"

Yazoo laughed and grabbed Reno by his hair, pulling him to his feet with force. "I don't take orders from my food." Yazoo bent Reno's head back and forced him to walk, pressing against the small of his back to keep him moving.

Reno paled as he was directed towards the stairs, grabbing at the wall for anything stationary that could keep him from going where Yazoo forced him to move. He didn't want to go back to the lighted room, even if he could see better there. He didn't want to deal with the pain again. He didn't want to stay with Yazoo either, but he could deal with the bruising pain Yazoo was giving him better than the horrible burning the sun was giving him. He panicked, yelling at the top of his lungs when Yazoo grabbed for the doorknob. "No! Stop! Please! I'll do what you want!"

Yazoo laughed and released Reno's hair. "Oh? You won't argue?"

Reno shook and pressed against the door, blocking it to try and keep Yazoo from forcing him inside. "No, I won't. Please, please don't make me go back in there!"

Yazoo smiled and offered Reno a hand. "Then do as I say. Take my hand."

Reno complied, wincing as his fingers made contact with Yazoo's gloved palm. He could feel the cold of Yazoo's skin through the leather. "Okay."

Yazoo laughed and pulled Reno back downstairs, his grip tight and unforgiving. "A human afraid of the light, how funny!"

Reno grit his teeth together, following Yazoo obediently. Yazoo's grip had his hand begging for mercy, the bones in his palm scraping against each other. "I'm not afraid of the light, I'm afraid of the pain."

"It's unbearable, isn't it?" Yazoo pulled Reno into the living room. "Sit."

Reno moved to sit on the couch as directed and blinked as Yazoo stopped him. "What? You said to sit."

"Sit on the floor." Yazoo pushed Reno onto the floor, sitting on the couch where Reno had been planning to take a seat. "Oh, Loz! Come here, please."  
Reno shook, sitting on the floor as commanded. He felt his insides boil at the treatment, his hands itching to do damage to Yazoo's pretty face, but the pain in his neck reminded him just what happened when he fought back. He was no match for either vampire unarmed. He would simply have to wait on Genesis, an idea he hated. He didn't want to be the damsel in distress in need of saving, but here he was, sitting at the feet of his captor and waiting for his hero. It made him want to vomit.

Loz sauntered into the room, silver eyebrows raised. "You brought it down?"

Reno bristled at being called an 'it' and his blood boiled even more when Yazoo began petting his hair as if he was a dog. "Yes, I did. Would you like dinner, Loz?"

Loz grinned and looked down at Reno, his green eyes edged with hunger. "Yes, yes I would."

Reno didn't like the way things were going. He didn't like them one bit.

* * *

Genesis stopped the cage beside Cid's farm, making sure he was fully loaded for the fifth time. He walked up to the door and tried to force it open, frowning at the resistance. The knob turned easily so he wasn't fighting to open the door because of a lock, the resistance was on the other side of the door. Genesis sighed and went back to Bethany, bracing for impact as he used the short distance to gain enough speed to slam into the door and make it move. It only budged a few inches inward, but the screams of shock on the other side of the door were enough to bring a smile to his face even as his shoulder burned with pain. He went back to Bethany, preparing to rush the door again. Bethany watched him and Genesis knew that, if he was able to understand the mannerisms she was giving him, he would probably scold her for mocking his inability to get the door open on the first try.

* * *

Reno shook; his neck still spilling blood where Yazoo had cut it to feed Loz his 'dinner'. Yazoo had a tight grip on his hair, his emerald eyes wide in surprise as light flooded the opposite side of the cabin. The small opening let in enough light to make the vampires hiss softly in pain Reno felt his chest get uncomfortably hot, but it wasn't burning yet.

Loz stood and took up a fighting stance in front of Yazoo and Reno, unable to get near the door to close it. Reno took a dare, gathering up his wits and screaming out in fear. "HELP ME!"

Genesis slammed into the door again as Yazoo slapped a hand over Reno's mouth, the door opening wide enough for the redhead to push inside the cabin. "I'm here, Reno!"

Yazoo stood, pulling Reno up with him. "If you don't close that door right now, I'll break his neck!"  
Genesis raised his gun with his good arm, a scrape on his cheek from where his face had collided with the door starting to bead with blood. He aimed at Yazoo, frowning darkly. "Let him go or I'll shoot."

"You really think that bullet can travel faster than my hands? Even if you do manage to hit me, would you really be willing to sacrifice him in order to merely wound me? Besides, your aim isn't that great. Remember the last time you tried to shoot me?" Yazoo kept his hand over Reno's mouth, holding the man in front of him as a human shield. His voice dripped with amusement. Reno wished he could kick the vampire in the jewels, but he couldn't reach his foot the way he needed to to make his desires reality.

Genesis growled and grabbed the doorknob. "I don't have to shoot you. I just have to open the door."

Yazoo turned Reno's head to an uncomfortable angle. "Try it. See how fast his neck breaks."

Genesis frowned, his grip on the door tightening. Was he really willing to sacrifice Reno? He had the perfect opportunity to kill both Loz and Yazoo and all he had to do was flood the room with light before the sun went down. Would he really toss that perfect opportunity aside for Reno? He felt the doorknob growing hot in his hand and he sighed, letting his hand fall to his side. "Damn you, Yazoo." It seemed that he would give up that opportunity.

Yazoo smirked and set Reno's head back to a more comfortable angle, stroking his hair gently. "Good boy. Close the door."

Genesis slammed the door shut, keeping his pistol in his hand. He frowned at Yazoo. "Well? What now?"

"We wait until nightfall and then take you both to Master." Yazoo sat back down and beckoned Loz to him. "Come, Loz, finish your meal."

Reno shook in terror and fury as Loz licked spilled blood from his chest and neck, his lightheadedness only adding to the nauseating fear that threatened to spill his stomach over Loz's back. He looked at Genesis and the urge to break Yazoo's cold, restraining hands grew in the pit of his stomach. He fought the urge; however, as he knew that any attempt he would make to try and injure Yazoo would just make him look foolish and weak. When Genesis raised his head, Reno caught his eyes and tried to convey a message of gratitude to him that he couldn't say past Yazoo's gloved fingers. Reno was, despite the fact that he was being slowly sucked dry, happy that Genesis had come to save him.

Loz raised his head and wiped his mouth on his glove. "If I keep feeding he'll die."

Yazoo nodded and tilted Reno's head back, giving Reno a glimpse of wet fangs before they poised over the slit in his throat. "I'd better fix him up then."

Reno screamed into Yazoo's hand as the silver-haired man dripped venom over the slit in his neck, the burning pain nearly unbearable. He arched, struggling weakly against Yazoo's hold. Loz laughed at him and held him still. "Does it hurt, Reno?"

Genesis raised his gun and took a step forward, his teeth barred. "What the fuck are you doing to him?"  
Yazoo chuckled and released Reno's head, allowing Reno to clutch his neck in agony. "I fixed the poor dear. You wouldn't want him to keep bleeding like that, would you?"

Genesis frowned and fixed his gun on Yazoo's forehead. "He doesn't look fixed to me!" He wished he could shoot, but the fact that Reno's life, and now his mortality, hung in Yazoo's long fingers kept him from pulling the cold trigger in his hand.

Yazoo grabbed Reno's hair and yanked the redhead upright, showing Genesis the thin white line where the cut had been moments before. "You don't call that fixed?  
Reno panted and shook; his eyes wide with fear. The burning pain in his neck was gone, but every breath he took seemed to freeze before it hit his lungs.  
Loz stood and reached a hand towards Genesis. "Pass over the gun. Now."

Genesis growled at him and fixed his sights on Loz. "Why should I? It's my only defense!"  
"You call that a defense? If we wanted to kill either of you we would have done it already!" Yazoo laughed; the sound as eerie and maddening as the tinkling of unseen wind chimes hung in a cemetery.

"Why don't you just kill us then and get it over with?" Genesis spat his words at Yazoo, his finger itching madly around the trigger beneath it.

"Because the Master wants you alive and what Master wants, he gets. No one defies the Master." Yazoo ran long fingers through Reno's hair, grinning widely at Genesis.

Genesis frowned and passed Loz his gun as the large man reached for it again. "So you're just slaves to your Master's will?"  
"Slaves if a harsh term, but yes. Master's will dictates all our actions. Well, except for this one." Yazoo chuckled and ran his finger over Reno's newly whitened neck. "Master wanted to leave the first scar on your precious pet and I'm sure I'll be punished for making them myself, but I can't be bothered with that right at the moment. My disobedience has garnered your obedience."

Reno shuddered and pushed Yazoo's hand away. "Your Master sounds like an asshole."

Loz snarled at Reno, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "Don't talk that way about Master!"

Reno snorted derisively. "What are you gonna do about it?"

Loz took a step towards Reno, but stopped when Yazoo held up a slender hand. Yazoo gripped Reno's hair tight and pulled his head back. "If you talk that way about our Master again, I assure you that you will be punished. There is still some daylight left and there is a room upstairs ready for you."

Reno shuddered and winced at the mention of the room above his head. "Please, don't."  
"Then apologize for insulting Master." Yazoo pet Reno's cheek with a sickening tenderness that made the hair rise up on the back of Reno's thinly striped neck.

"I'm sorry for insulting your Master." Reno glared at Yazoo, unable to express his hatred of the vampire through words or actions.

"Good boy." Yazoo released Reno's hair and looked at Genesis. "Make yourself comfortable. We still have another hour or so before the sun sets."

Genesis sighed and sat across from Yazoo, sinking into Cid's armchair heavily. He looked at Reno's exposed chest, gritting his teeth as he noticed for the first time the thick white stripes where cursed claw marks used to be. He felt coldness in his heart as he realized that, whoever Master was, he had planned to make Reno into a feeding trough.

He hoped he got the chance to shoot the bastard who was going to try and determine his fate. He also hoped that he wouldn't miss like he had every other time he had tried shooting one of the vampires.

**Author's Note: Well, now we get to watch Genesis try and fail again. He's been doing that a lot lately, hasn't he? I feel really bad for what I'm doing to Reno (and what I plan to do to him) but I think you'll all really enjoy the awfulness of what I'm going to do in the coming chapters. Also, I don't know what happened to the formatting here on , but I hate it. I spent a good ten minutes trying to repair the damage the new formatting weirdness did and it basically ignored all the extra indents I tried to make at the beginning of paragraphs. I apologize for any issues this may have given you while reading it.**


	20. Chapter 20

Thick blades of shadow spread over the grass as Genesis opened the door, taking a deep breath and exhaling deeply as the last shreds of sunlight were scraped from the air. Genesis walked forward, attempting to catch one of the disappearing rays on his hand before it faded into nothingness. He sighed, turning back towards the house. "The light is gone."

Loz stepped out of the gaping doorway, his silver hair glimmering in the light cast by the slowly rising moon. Genesis shivered as the moon's pearly rays fell on him, his beastly exploits from the night before still fresh in his mind. Loz nodded and stepped out of the house, the need for a safe-haven gone with the last rays of the sun. "It's safe, Yazoo."

Yazoo stepped out after Loz, his long, graceful legs pulling him forward quickly. "Good. Let's get going." Yazoo pulled Reno after him, the redhead's legs not nearly as graceful at propelling him forward. The redhead stumbled, the recent drop in his blood pressure making him weak and disoriented.

Genesis curled his hands into fists and waited for direction, Reno's life the only thing that was making him obey the vampire's instructions. He could see Reno's newly made white scars in the darkness, the stripes crossing his neck and chest seeming to luminesce in the moonlight. Genesis could feel rage bubbling in his veins as he watched Reno struggle to walk, his anger only piqued when Yazoo gave up on Reno's weak, trembling legs and pulled him into a bridal carry.

Yazoo held Reno to his chest, smirking at Genesis as he got the reaction he was hoping for; rage. He nodded to Loz, his voice gentle yet demanding. "Untether the horse. We'll go faster if you pull the cage."

Loz nodded and snapped the bonds holding Bethany to the cage, holding her reins as she attempted to rear up in fear. "What do I do with the horse?"

Reno spoke up for the first time since Yazoo had forced an apology from him for insulting Master. His voice trembled as he pleaded for Bethany. "Please, don't eat her! Please, just leave her with the chocobos! She'll like it there!"

Yazoo chuckled, setting Reno down beside Bethany. "Poor thing, would you like to bid your pet farewell?"

Reno wanted to slap Yazoo, but his desire to hug Bethany's neck was greater and he did so with a nod, finding a small bit of solace in her familiar warmth and softness. Loz released her reins and Bethany pressed her head to Reno's back, her soft breath tickling him. Reno held her for a while, having a silent conversation with her that he carried out through pats to her tender neck and a few gentle kisses to her forelock. Bethany didn't immediately run when a cough from Yazoo let Reno know to let her go, but once Reno had stepped out of the way of her feet, Bethany took off, charging into the night as fast as her legs would take her. Reno felt a tear drop as he watched her go, his heart breaking as his only constant companion fled for safety. He hoped she found a nice farm to live on or, better yet, found her way back to the estate. She was branded, after all, as property of the Hewley family so it wasn't unlikely that she would find her way home. Reno wished he didn't have the brandings he did now. As Yazoo picked him back up, clucking his tongue about animals and their strange whims, he could feel the odd contrast between cold and hot as Yazoo held him close. The vampire was cold to Reno's still human skin even through Yazoo's clothing, but almost deliriously warm to the stripes crossing Reno's tainted chest. Reno shuddered as Yazoo opened the cage door, instructing Genesis and Loz to remove everything inside the large rolling prison before they began their trek to only the Gods knew where. Reno watched Genesis as the lean man removed box after box of belongings from the cage, his hair covering his face and making his expression indiscernible. Reno wished there was some way he could go back in time and keep himself from being caught. In retrospect, he knew there was no way they could have outran the vampires, even with Cid's help. Now Reno simply wished he had asked how Cid had escaped the vampire's fortress so that he could copy his results.

When Genesis and Loz had tossed the last of the belongings from the back of the cage, Yazoo carried Reno into it, sitting in the corner and holding the redhead in his lap. He smirked and pet Reno's hair, looking to Genesis as the man seethed with fury. "Come, sit with us. Loz will get us where we need to go."  
Genesis stepped into the cage, shutting the door obediently as Loz grabbed hold of the bars Bethany had been strapped to moments before and turned the cage in the right direction. Genesis moved to the back of the cage by Yazoo and sat as instructed, his fists still curled with rage. He was surprised at how calm he was acting, but he supposed that since he knew it was no use to express his rage it was easier to suppress the emotion and keep himself from acting on it. As he watched Yazoo's gloved fingers trail through Reno's hair, however, he found his mind fantasizing inventive ways to brutally kill the wicked vampire.

Yazoo allowed the group to sit in silence awhile, his attention focused on making Reno as uncomfortable as possible. Reno shuddered as long, thin fingers ran over, between, and around the scars on his chest and neck, every fiber of his being begging to get away from the freezing cold of Yazoo's presence. He did his best not to openly struggle for fear that Yazoo would decide to leave yet another mark, but he wasn't sure how much of the vampire's touching and caressing he could handle. Cold fingers turned warm as they ran over his scars and the contrast between chill and heat made Reno's entire body break out in goose bumps. He shivered and clenched his hands in his lap, glad that Yazoo was only touching and not biting. He didn't think he had enough blood left in him for the vampire to snack on him again.

Yazoo tugged Reno's hair, guiding the redhead's head onto his shoulder, Reno's neck exposed to his sight. Yazoo smirked at Genesis and ran a hand over Reno's newest scar, delighting in the anger the werewolf radiated. "Genesis, do you hate me?"

"Yes." Genesis answered without hesitation, his fingernails pressing into his palms.

"That's too bad." Yazoo chuckled, licking Reno's neck just above a throbbing vein. "Come sit by me, Genesis."

"No." Genesis glared at Yazoo, daring the vampire to try and force him to move.

Yazoo laughed, holding Reno's neck in one long fingered hand. "It wasn't a request you could deny, Genesis. Sit by me. Now."

Reno gasped for air as Yazoo's hand tightened around his throat, his hands shooting up to try and pry the gloved fingers from around his neck.

Genesis quickly moved to sit beside Yazoo, his teeth bared as he reached to try and remove Yazoo's hand from Reno's throat. "Stop that! You'll kill him!"

Yazoo frowned, his grip firm and unmoving. "Sit down, shut up, and if you attempt to touch him again I WILL kill him."

Genesis paled and sat beside Yazoo, wishing he could actually do something constructive to help Reno. He heard Reno gasp for air as pressure was removed from his windpipe and he grit his teeth in frustration.

Yazoo smiled and kissed Reno's neck, petting his hair softly as the redhead coughed and sputtered for air. "Sorry, dear, but hurting you is the only way to get the uncivilized mutt to show some manners."

Reno shuddered at the kiss and leaned forward, pulling away from Yazoo as far as the vampire would allow. To his surprise, Yazoo allowed him to slide out of his lap. He was not, however, allowed to move away from between the vampire's long legs as he soon found out. He sat between Yazoo's legs and pressed his knees to his chest, burying his face in them as Yazoo ran cold fingers over his back. He hated being touched.

Genesis could almost feel his teeth breaking from the pressure he was putting on them as he grit them together. He glared at Yazoo, blue eyes radiating anger in the moonlit darkness inside the cage. He was pretty sure that, if he were able to unlock his jaw to speak, he would only be able to muster up a deranged growl.

Yazoo ran one hand up and down Reno's back, determined to leave enough of his scent on the redhead to mask the unfortunate scent of werewolf that repeated exposure to Genesis' presence had left on the unwilling recruit to his clan. Master would loathe having a recruit enter their domain who reeked of werewolf. He slid a hand through Genesis' hair, smirking at the spotlight of anger and rage that was streaming from the werewolf's eyes. "If you remain disobedient, the cost shall be Reno's life. If you cooperate, we'll occasionally allow you to see him. He will be turned, regardless of whether or not he wishes it, but he will only be immortal for as long as your actions and behavior allow him to be. Must I make myself clearer?"

Genesis found the resolve to unlock his jaw enough for him to spit his next words at Yazoo. "No. I understand."

"Good boy. Perhaps there's hope for housebreaking you yet. If we could get Rufus to remain obedient even after Cid escaped us, then we can certainly buy your obedience from you as well." Yazoo chuckled and released Genesis' hair, turning his attention to the trembling human in front of him. "Go back to your corner, I want to play with your pet some more."

Reno paled as he realized that Yazoo was going to pull him back into his cold, icy lap, and he attempted to move away from the vampire's clutches, but the effort gained him nothing and he was forcibly pulled back into Yazoo's lap. He was unable to remain calm enough to sit quietly this time and he struggled, shoving Yazoo's stony hands away. He felt tears leak from his eyes as Yazoo held him to his chest without any trouble, his hands pressed to the scars across Reno's semi-human chest. Reno shivered at the odd warmth of Yazoo's hands and did his best to stop crying as he was forcibly held to the slender vampire's chest.

Yazoo chuckled at Reno's feeble attempts at resistance, catching one of the redhead's tears on his tongue. "Don't struggle, tasty morsel. You'd best learn to get used to obedience as well. The more you resist us, the more painful your change will be."

"I don't care! I won't just give up on being human!" Reno wished he had been able to repress the sob that echoed through his voice and he squeezed his eyes shut tight to try and hold back the tears leaking down his cheeks.

Yazoo chuckled, leaning back with Reno pressed to his chest. "Oh, you will. We all do eventually." He stared up at the stars, holding the weak redhead close while the other one seethed quietly in the corner. He kept Reno's face turned to the side with his hand so that the two would be unable to make eye contact, refusing to allow them the opportunity to communicate through looks and expressions. The stars shined like jewels in the thick black sky that surrounded the moon like an ever expanding halo. He could feel Reno's heartbeat against his chest, quick and panicked, and he remembered days when his own heart had beat the same way. Those days were long behind him, but, if he closed his eyes, he could pretend for a few moments that Reno's heartbeat was his. He smiled, remembering that, the last time his heart had beat with the same fervor that Reno's was pounding with now, he had been excited and anxious, not afraid. He had been held in a similar embrace in the Master's arms, his eyes closed, and his last tears falling not out of fear like Reno's were, but in joy as the Master ended his human life and gave him the gift of immortality. Yazoo's green eyes reopened and he stroked Reno's thin, tattooed cheek. He stared at the sky as it rushed overhead, barely feeling the cage rock the werewolf and redhead into unwilling sleep as Loz brought them closer and closer to the port where a ferry was waiting to transport them across the sea and back into Master's domain.

* * *

**Author's Note: Yes, random Yazoo at the end. I felt the need to develop his character just a little bit more. Sorry if you guys were expecting some daring rescue or escape scene but there is no room in the plot for them to escape or be rescued.**


	21. Chapter 21

Reno's head lolled forward as the cage came to a stop, his uneasy sleep coming to an end as his chin touched his chest. He opened his eyes reluctantly and shivered; his body blue with cold. He wished Yazoo had let him go while he slept, but he was fairly sure the vampire wasn't going to be releasing him until they got to the nightmarish castle that Cid had known as a prison. Reno felt Yazoo stand up and pull him into his arms, the cold making every cell of his skin rise into a goose bump. He made an attempt to look at Genesis, but Yazoo had whisked him out of the cage before he could catch sight of the werewolf.

Loz slipped into the cage once Yazoo had left and pulled Genesis out, his touch far rougher than Yazoo's had been. Reno watched as Genesis was carried out, still asleep, and he wondered if the man was just feigning sleep to keep from facing the horrors around them. Reno wished he had been able to do that.

Yazoo strode across the dew slicked grass, a breeze fanning his hair out behind him. The sight was certainly intimidating for the few villagers who were waiting beside the ferry docked at the shallow port, their shoulders shaking as fear gripped their hearts. Reno felt his anger rise to the surface again as Yazoo and Loz strode up to the ferry, their presence tyrannical to the handful of humans who had the unfortunate task of waiting on them.

Yazoo stopped in front of the group, his head held high with an air of regal self-importance. "Is the ferry ready to take us across as instructed?"

"Y-yes, sir." An older man in the group bowed deeply, the others with him following suit. Reno frowned at their stupidity; by bowing they completely exposed their necks to the bloodthirsty vampire.

"Good. Do we have provisions aboard?" Yazoo looked the group over, his nostrils flaring softly as he took in their human scent. He could feel Loz tensing behind him, the older vampire having more trouble fighting his hunger than he did. Loz's self-control left something to be desired.

The same man nodded, head still bowed. "Y-yes, sir."

"Are my provisions alive or dead?" Yazoo adjusted his hold on Reno, feeling the redhead begin to seethe with rage. He had to fight laughter at the redhead's odd mood changes. He should be trembling with fear at his own predicament, not feeling indignant over the fates of others.

"A-alive, sir. As requested." The man's strong, broad shoulders quaked with his voice as he spoke. Reno wondered just who had been provided for provisions. He felt pity for the people now delegated to be meals for thirsty vampires; not even murderers deserved such a fate in his mind.

"Good. Where is our normal captain? I do not smell him here." Yazoo's brow furrowed as he spoke; the calm in his voice made his words more frightening.

"H-he has fled the village with his family, sir. Just last night, when you did not arrive as scheduled. We tried to detain him, but we failed. You have our sincere apologies." Reno curled his hands to fists as the people standing in front of Yazoo shook violently with unmasked fear that they were unable to contain. It was obvious that every one of them knew that their lives were held tight in Yazoo's gloved hand.

"His replacement?" Yazoo frowned, making a mental note to inform the Master that yet another captain had fled their employ.

"He knows the way, and he's a good captain, sir." The man's voice was still quaking as he stood to point to the heavily layered, hunchbacked man standing at a distance from the rest of the group.

Reno hadn't even noticed the man; his presence was almost eerily underwhelming. He gave off the appearance of great age, even though the majority of his face was not visible under a thickly set gray-speckled brown beard and a wide brimmed black hat that was perched atop a wild mane of like-colored hair. He was tall, despite the hunch in his shoulders that must have taken a foot or more from his overall height. His clothes were drab; a brown tunic that needed patching and a large black overcoat that was long enough to touch the tops of his leather boots. As unnoticeable as he was, his presence was an odd sight. Reno looked him over again, searching for some sign of fear, but the old man's shoulders and hands didn't even shake from palsy.

Yazoo raised an eyebrow, looking the man over. "You smell like death."

"The elderly tend to smell that way." The man's voice grated on Reno's ears, as if the geezer had swallowed a handful of gravel before speaking.

"Guess it means I won't be tempted to eat you. I like my food fresh." Yazoo snorted and walked towards the large bellied ferry that was waiting to take them across the ocean.

The old man chuckled, "I suppose not."

Loz followed Yazoo, his nose wrinkling as he passed the man. Genesis was still dead weight in his arms, his face passive and blank. Reno was beginning to wonder if the man had been drugged.

Yazoo slipped below deck, his feet barely seeming to make contact with the metal stairs below them. Loz followed closely, quickly dumping Genesis onto one of the many uncomfortable looking beds set into the walls of the ferry. He straightened and rubbed his chin softly. "Hey, Yazoo, should we tie him up? What if he tries to escape?"

Yazoo snorted softly, walking farther into the ship with Reno in his arms. "Leave him. We'll be in the middle of the ocean soon and I doubt he'll be swimming away any time soon."

Loz shrugged and followed Yazoo, "I suppose that's true. Is it just me, though, or did that new captain seem….off?"

"He smelled like death, looked like shit, and is old as hell. Compared to our normal captains, he's off the wall. Considering that we don't have a lot of options, however, it's best if we just allow him to take us. So long as he knows where that canal is in the middle of Wutai, we will probably keep him. If he misses that and we have to go around the whole damned island to get home, I will be very upset." Yazoo walked into a state room located deeper in the belly of the ferry, setting Reno down and smirking as the redhead immediately retreated to the farthest corner of the room.

Loz nodded, "Well, that sounds fine. I'll go make sure he knows so we don't have to eat him. He doesn't smell tasty and I know that means you won't help me with him at all if he does screw up."

"Of course I won't. I don't eat anything that's been rotting that long." Yazoo laughed, watching Reno rub his arms to try and get warm. "Don't stay up there too long, Loz. It'll be daylight soon and I wouldn't want to bring you home in a matchbox."

"Of course." Loz snorted and walked out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the hall as he went. Reno wondered why Loz was so loud when all of the other vampires were so deathly silent.

Yazoo looked at Reno, pointing to the bed in the room. "Sit."

Reno frowned, rubbing his arms to try and warm himself. "No way."

"Yes, way." Yazoo snorted and shut the door, striding towards Reno. "Need I remind you again why you listen to me and not the other way around?"

"Suppose so. If you think I'm just going to do what you say whenever you say it you're fucking insane." Reno pressed himself into the corner that he was standing in, trying to root himself to the ground as the ferry began rocking lightly. They must have left the port behind.

Yazoo laughed, easily adjusting to the sway of the ferry. "On the contrary, you're the insane one for not doing what you're told when the price for disobedience is so high."

Reno frowned and puffed out his chest, trying to show bravado and bravery despite the frantic beating of his fearful heart. "I'm not going to sit."

"Yes, you are." Yazoo chuckled and grabbed Reno's shoulder, his hand gripping tight like a vice and pulling a pained gasp from Reno's lungs. He dragged Reno across the room easily and sat him on the bed, releasing him once he was seated.

Reno held his shoulder, eyes closed tight as he tried to avoid making any more sounds that revealed his pain. His shoulder was throbbing with pain and as he rocked himself to try and suppress the urge to cry, he felt a large blanket fall across his shoulders. His eyes snapped open and he quickly pulled the blanket close, confusion crossing his face as Yazoo sat beside him. He tried to edge away from the vampire, but a strong, slender hand pulled him back forcefully. He couldn't suppress an outcry of pain this time; Yazoo was good at getting him to feel like he was going to die.

Yazoo pulled Reno into his lap, blanket and all, and reclined on the bed; pulling Reno's back flush with his chest again. "Just calm down; you're not going anywhere so long as I'm entertained by you."

Reno frowned, holding the blanket tight to try and regain the warmth that had been escaping him since the day before. "Entertainment my ass! You've got a twisted sense of what's fun, ya know that?"

"Of course, I know that. It's not an issue for me; it's an issue for you." Yazoo stroked Reno's hair gently, enjoying the scent of fear that rolled off the man.

Reno shuddered and looked to the door, wanting away from Yazoo as quickly as possible. "I feel like a rabbit that's being pet before it's going to be made into soup."

"If you're a good rabbit you'll get soup instead of being made into it." Yazoo pulled Reno's head back, exposing his neck. "Or not, it depends on my mood."

"Everything depends on your mood. It's sick." Reno tensed, hating the sensation of being played with like a doll.

"No, it's order. That's how things work, Reno. Those in power get to play with those who are not in power. If you ever become more powerful than me, which is highly doubtful, you will get to play with me instead. Until then, do what I say and it'll hurt less for you." Yazoo ran a gloved finger across Reno's neck, humming softly at the trembling pulse that was beating against his fingertip.

Reno shuddered and held the blanket. "I won't play with you; I'll kill you."

"Not until after you've been killed, Reno." Yazoo chuckled and removed his glove with his teeth, setting it on the bed neatly. "That's the problem; I get to kill you first."

Reno frowned and turned to look at Yazoo as best as he could, eyes narrowed over tattooed cheeks. "I'll definitely kill you."

"I doubt that." Yazoo turned Reno's face away and drew a thin red line into his neck with his fingernail, humming softly as blood started to well up from the slice.

Reno winced, feeling more than a little helpless as Yazoo began licking the blood from his neck, one hand holding his head in place and the other pressing against his scarred chest to keep him from wriggling away. Reno closed his eyes and did what he could to ignore the fact that he was being eaten at a very slow rate, but it was hard when Yazoo was sucking and licking at his neck.

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**Author's Note: Yeah, it's too short to explain the nearly three month lack of updates, and I apologize! I've been busy with school and work for the past few weeks and, once this semester is over, the likelihood of me writing more is very high. I am so sorry to keep you all waiting!**


	22. Chapter 22

The ferry rocked and swayed steadily as it glided across the water, Reno's stomach swaying with it. It was as if being cold and nauseous from Yazzo hadn't been torment enough and cruel fate wanted him to be seasick as well. Reno pulled the blanket Yazoo had thrust at him tighter around his frozen body. His skin crawled as Yazoo stroked his side, his mind burning with hatred and disgust as he was held close to the freezing immortal. Reno had sated Yazoo's appetite for blood, but it seemed that he had piqued other cravings in doing so. Was a vampire's life nothing but cravings? Reno hoped not, because if Yazoo had his way Reno was going to end up a vampire too and he'd rather not spend eternity locked inside his own body's desires.

Yazoo slid a hand through Reno's hair, his voice soft and sweet as a lullaby as he purred in Reno's ear. "Reno, do you hate me?"

"Yes." Reno didn't hesitate to answer.

"Why?" Yazoo rolled Reno onto his back easily; looking down at the man with an expression that made it seem like Yazoo was completely indifferent to the tides of hate rolling off of Reno with each shake of his slim shoulders.

"Why?" Reno frowned, pointing to his scar crossed neck with a shaking finger. "Doesn't this seem like reason enough?"

"No." Yazoo wrapped a hand around Reno's neck, covering the scars completely. Reno's eyes widened and fear sliced through his gaze as he tried to pry Yazoo's slim fingers from him, but Yazoo didn't budge, holding Reno tight enough to keep his grip, but not tight enough to block his air flow. Yazoo smoothed Reno's bangs back from his face gently with his free hand. "Reno, what's so frightening about being a vampire? The immortality? The power?"

"The blood." Reno felt shivers shake his body that came from more than Yazoo's oppressive cold. His voice quaked as he spoke and he wished that he wasn't so terrified of the madman holding him down on the bed. He was honest, however. He wasn't afraid of blood, but the idea of having to drink it was repulsive.

Yazoo smirked and tugged his glove off with his teeth, releasing Reno's bangs to fall back into his face. "The blood isn't so bad. I'll show you."

Smooth leather slid away from smoother skin, exposing Yazoo's pale hand to the dim light in the room. Reno felt his eyes grow even wider as he caught the suggestion behind Yazoo's taunting words, his attempts to flee stopping as his stomach turned and threatened to capsize. Yazoo slid a thin white fang over his unblemished wrist, dark red blood spilling onto pink lips. Reno felt fear paralyze him as Yazoo licked the color from his pale lips, twisting them into a teasing smirk as he adjusted his grip on Reno's throat. A single command slid into Reno's ears as Yazoo gripped his jawline and set his dripping wrist close to Reno's mouth, blood streaking his face like new tattoo's as it dripped hot and red from Yazoo's frozen wrist, a contrast that left Reno confused. "Open." Reno opened his mouth obediently, knowing that the emerald eyes above him would narrow along with his windpipe if he didn't do as he was instructed. The first few drops missed their marks, sliding down Reno's lower lip and across his cheek, but the rest found their way onto Reno's reluctant tongue.

Blue eyes slammed shut as Reno tried to imagine he was anywhere but there. He didn't want to be shoved into a bed by a horny vampire with hot blood spilling down his throat. He would much rather be, well, anywhere that Yazoo wasn't. He swallowed as instructed, the scalding burn of Yazoo's blood making Reno sick to his stomach. He coughed and pulled his mouth away from Yazoo's wrist, unable to handle the acrid taste spilling over his tongue any longer. Reno tried to shove Yazoo away, his mind rushing for a way to make the vampire let him up. He felt Yazoo's hand tighten around his throat and panic made his tongue move before his brain could come up with a reason for it to. "I have to pee!"

Yazoo blinked and released Reno, sitting up. "You have to what?"

Reno sat up and wiped his mouth, his throat still burning from the venomous blood that had spilled into him. "I have to go pee and unless you want me to piss on your sheets you'll let me out!"

"There's no bathroom on board. There's never been a need for one." Yazoo seemed puzzled by the long-forgotten concept of relieving one's bladder. He sealed the cut in his wrist and slid his glove back onto his hand, delicately crossing one leg over the other. "Fine, do what you must, but come right back once you're done. Wrap up in that blanket before you go to the upper deck to relieve yourself. We wouldn't want to burn out there, now would we, Reno?"

Reno shuddered at the mirth filled taint of Yazoo's words, obediently grabbing the blanket and draping it around his shoulders. He held it close at his neck and walked out of the room on shaking legs, his stomach rolling and turning his face green.

No sooner was Reno on the upper deck than his battle with his stomach was lost and he bent over thin railing, hurling his stomach contents into the frothy foam following the ferry. He coughed and spat, nausea taking over his body and forcing him to his knees. He held the blanket close, but the warmth of the sun made his neck and chest hurt despite their covering. Reno desperately wanted to be home. He wanted to go back to the estate and fight with Zack again over something trivial and unimportant. He wanted to spend the night in Bethany's stall, whispering sweet secrets to her that she'd never be able to tell. He wanted to go back to work to play cards with Rude while inmates cursed them from all sides of the prison. He sincerely wished, for a fraction of a second, that he had never met Genesis that night outside the gypsy camp.

He clung to the railing, his shoulders shaking as he rid his body of the filth Yazoo had shoved into him. Soft footsteps sounded on the planks of the ship behind him and Reno stiffened as a hand touched his shoulder, fear catching his breath in his throat. The panic eased, however, when Genesis knelt beside him and brushed his hair back from his face, worry evident in his sky blue eyes. His voice was filled with concern as he examined Reno. "Are you okay?"

Reno shuddered and wiped his mouth clean on the edge of the blanket. "Hell no. Just got force fed blood."

Genesis frowned and pulled Reno to his feet. "Fucking vamps. Come on. Let's get you in the shade before you start burning up."

Reno nodded, feeling the blood Yazoo had spilled on his face turning to ash in the sunlight. He brushed it away, shuddering as the black dust colored his fingers. Genesis led him, his hand's holding Reno's shoulders to keep him steady as they went. Reno blinked as he was ushered towards an opening near the back of the ship. "What the hell is that?"

Genesis continued urging him forward. "It's a storage compartment. It's empty, don't worry. They won't be able to come get us until the sun sets anyways. We'll be safe for a while."

Reno stepped down into the small opening, surprised to find that, once the stairs leading down to it were cleared, it was actually roomy. There was nothing in it but cobwebs, it was unlikely that the vampires had ever used their private transport to transport anything besides themselves and their food; all of which was easily stored in the room Reno had just been in. Reno stepped inside the empty space, tossing the blanket to the floor like trash. "I'm so fuckin' cold!"

"Why the hell are you getting rid of the blanket, then?" Genesis lot the oil lantern hanging from the wall with a match the captain had given him. "That seems counterproductive." Despite the helpful supplies provided by the coarse captain who had refused to look him full in the face, he refused to rally to their side and help them escape. He had given Genesis drinkable water and had told him about the storage compartment, but he wouldn't do more than make their journey to hell a little more comfortable.

"It's not helping at all." Reno rubbed his chest, visibly shivering. "The only thing that even takes the edge off the cold is… It when Yazoo touches them." He shuddered, wanting to vomit at the realization that he would have to be close to the vampire in order to ever be comfortable again. Hugging himself, he tried to press warmth into the pale lines scarring his chest. He only succeeded in making his arms cold as well.

A few steps brought Genesis to Reno's side and he spun Reno to face him, getting his first good look at the deathly pale flesh across his torso once he peeled lanky arms away from the scars. "That's because undead likes undead. This part of your skin has been turned. It's probably feeding on your right now, like a parasite."

"My own skin is feeding on me?" Reno felt a strange sense of uneasy familiarity as Genesis scrutinized his chest, blue eyes narrowed as he inspected Yazoo's handiwork.

"Vampires eat humans, remember?" Genesis looked up at Reno, voice calm. "Yazoo poisoned you. If we don't get you to the cure, you'll have to be turned or you'll die."  
"I…" Reno shook, pressing a hand to his freezing neck. "So I….have to.."  
"Let them change you or die." Genesis laid a hand on the frozen line crossing over Reno's heart. "Remember, there's a cure for vampirism. You can change back."

A gasp parted thin lips and Reno grasped Genesis' hand, holding it in place. "You're warm!" An involuntary whimper accompanied his words and Reno clung to Genesis' hand, draining as much warmth from it as he could. "You're warm."

Heat flushed Genesis' face and he shifted, flexing his hand against Reno's chest as the man clung to his fingers. The look in Reno's eyes, teary and relieved, let him know what the man wanted to ask of him. He saved them both the embarrassment and pulled Reno into his arms, hugging him gently. "Like I said; undead likes undead." The warmth of the pale scars was felt through his shirt and provided a painful reminder of his inhuman state.

Genesis' warmth was such a relief to the chill that seemed to ache through his entire body that Reno nearly wept. He had forgotten that Genesis was just as undead as Yazoo; his beastly form easily forgotten when he saw his human side. He wrapped his arms around Genesis' back, pulling him close, and rested his head against his shoulder. The release from the cold, the sudden return of heat to his body, was such a welcome thing that he didn't care how strange it seemed to actually be holding Genesis. He didn't mind, not one bit, to have Genesis in his arms, he had woken up tangled around him just a day ago, but they had been asleep then. Involuntary actions were forgivable, but would Genesis allow him to stay like this for long? The blush rising on his cheeks was probably a dead giveaway to his inner monologue if ever there was one, but he hoped that the light was dim enough for the flush to go unnoticed.

Genesis didn't see a need to hesitate in providing Reno with comfort, his chin resting on the man's hair as he stroked his neck, attempting to grant warmth to the scars littered across it in harsh white lines. It was comfortable, for whatever reason, to have Reno pressed close to him. Despite the wretched situation they found themselves in, there was a bit of solace to be found in each other's arms. Genesis wasn't sure where he found the comfort, why the action of holding suddenly seemed meaningful, just like being wrapped around Reno just a day ago had been somehow enjoyable, and at the moment he didn't care. He held Reno to his chest and sighed against his shoulder, relaxing into the embrace. "I'm sorry, Reno."

"Why?" Reno blinked against Genesis' shoulder, fingers digging into the fabric of the shirt he was clutching.

"Because this is my fault." Genesis shook his head, eyes closed as he pressed his face to the pale skin at the crook of Reno's neck. "If it wasn't for me, you'd be home and whole and happy."

"Well, I don't know about happy." Reno snorted softly, a shiver passing through his body as Genesis burrowed into his scarred neck. "But it's true; I'd be whole and safe if nothing else." When Genesis sighed again, Reno smiled and risked pulling far enough away from the man so that he could look him in the eye, the chill returning to his body as soon as Genesis was moved away from him. "All that aside, I don't regret meeting you. I want to help you. I want to make you human again so you can be happy."

"Why?" Genesis frowned, unable to understand the altruistic notion of helping simply to help. "Why even bother? I attacked you. Even if you hadn't been leached on by Yazoo, those scars would have left you permanently in pain. There's no way to truly heal a cursed injury like that, gypsy magic or no, and you would have been handicapped because of me."  
"I don't care." Reno snorted softly, raising a hand to Genesis' face to press auburn hair away from his eyes. "I just want you happy, Genesis. I can't explain why, I don't really even know why, but I just know I want you happy, okay? Let's leave it at that for now."

A small smile tweaked Genesis' lips and he shook his head, the motion restricted by Reno's steadying hand. "No other motive than that to help someone who's little more than a stranger?"

"Hey, I saw you naked, how much of a stranger can you be?" Reno's shivering increased, but he smiled all the same, a small snicker coloring his words.

Genesis laughed; a small and genuine bark of amusement that pulled a real smile onto his features. "I guess you're right."

"Damn straight, I'm right." Reno nodded curtly and pulled Genesis back to him, unable to brave the cold for longer than that. He pressed his face to Genesis shoulder, voice muffled by fabric and chattering teeth. "Gen, whatever happens, I'm gonna save you, okay?"

"I think you're the one who needs saving right now." Genesis let his arms fold around Reno again, stroking his poisoned neck gently.

"Shut it." Reno felt a flush rise on his face and he tried to choke it down. "I came on this trip to save you, don't go saving me!"

"Whatever you say, Reno." Genesis chuckled and held Reno, head shaking softly. He still couldn't comprehend the redhead's motives, but it was comforting to be reassured of Reno's strange dedication to him. After a few moments of standing this way, Genesis moved them to the floor, sitting on the blanket Reno had discarded and holding the man in his lap instead. Even in the dim light, Reno's ever-darkening blush was noticeable and, as Genesis wrapped his arms around Reno's chest and leaned against the slick metal wall behind him, he tried to figure out why the blush was even there. Reno relaxed into him, head lolling against his chest as he fell asleep, and Genesis followed him into slumber soon after, his thoughts chasing themselves in circles as he tried to pin down a plan for escape. Wishful thinking had seemed so pointless minutes ago, but after hearing Reno's resolution to assist him, Genesis couldn't help but let his mind wander into optimistic fantasy.

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**Author's Note: Sorry this update took so long, Reno and Genesis were both being total butts! They only wanted to write smut and I just couldn't have the story progress that fast in just one chapter. Have some cuddles instead.**


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